A is for Uchiha
by College n Curls
Summary: There is nothing more important than family... Sequel to Sleeping with the Enemy
1. A is for Uchiha

**CCNote:** **Trick or Treat! This is my treat to you!**

 **This is** **not** **a short sequel. In fact, it can serve as it's own stand-alone story barring a few mentions that harken back to events that took place during Sleeping With the Enemy. If you haven't read the first story I do recommend reading that before diving into this but you don't really have to. This story is not exactly linear either. It will dip in and out of the years and lives of all the characters we know and love.**

 **This story is unbeta'd. So yea. I've essentially given up on trying to find one so I guess just deal with my drunk mistakes until I go back and catch them later.**

 **Rating: M. Although much tamer than my usual works there will be mature themes, explicit language, and sex (not lots of it but it'll be there).**

 **As always please enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW! Happy Halloween!**

 **A is for Uchiha**

 _He couldn't wait to have his non-scary, non-crying Hinata back..._

 **Thursday, May 31, 2018, 11:45 am**

 **Atami Shrine**

… **..**

"Careful careful!" Mikoto chided as she guided Hinata up the last step.

The Hyuuga let out a deep breath of relief as both of her feet were finally on solid ground. At a little over seven months pregnant she was much too large to climb the many steps of the ancient Atami shrine. However, this was an Uchiha tradition that harkened back to a time before there were even solid steps to climb. Back to when it was merely a path etched into the hill by the many generations that came before. As sweat from the summer sun rolled down her forehead she could only feel pity for all of the other Uchiha women who had taken this trek.

"Ah, she's made good time." Atsuki, one of the eldest Uchiha women, said as she reached the top of the stairs. The wrinkles in her pale face were plentiful, detailing all of her years of wisdom. "The babies will be strong."

Behind her all of the other Uchiha women followed her up the steps, none of them had appeared to even break a sweat despite wearing all black. Inwardly Hinata fumed at the fact that perfection was a hereditary trait among Sasuke's clan. Turning away from the perfect women she looked up at the centuries-old shrine, shielding her eyes slightly with her hand. The Atami shrine was certainly something to behold. As they passed under the blood red archways that led to the open air interior, she marveled at the complex murals on the ceilings and monsterous carvings of the Gods that jutted out from the beams. The air was already thick with the smoke from the incense that were burning at the golden altar. A weathered priest stood next to the altar, a large bushel of burning sage in his hand.

Hinata stepped down onto the graveled inner courtyard, her party following silently behind her save for the crunching of their feet. Mikoto helped to steady her as they trekked across the uneven terrain to get to the priest. This was the most physical activity she'd had in a while and she could almost feel herself sway under her own gravity. A sharp jolt through her belly let her know that her babies were not too happy with this situation either. Mikoto gave her a concerned look when she noticed the flash of pain across her face. Hinata returned the woman's concern with a small smile, grinning through the pinching pain, and kept moving forward. She took a deep breath through her nose and out through her mouth as she rode out another bought of clenching in her stomach. Braxton Hicks contractions were normal. If she just remembered to breathe it wouldn't be too bad.

It felt like an eternity but eventually, they crossed the interior courtyard and presented themselves at the feet of the priest. With great difficulty, Hinata managed to kneel down on her own. If it weren't for the fact that she was having another uncomfortable contraction she would have been miffed at how hard the stone steps were against her knees. The priest brought the smoking sage down, lightly tapping her shoulders to purify the air around her. After alternating between right and left, he placed the sage against the altar before turning to help Hinata stand. His hands were softer than leather but warm and comforting. The Hyuuga woman gasped as she felt the strength in his old grip, helping her to her feet with ease.

Slowly they stepped forward until they were directly in front of the golden Atami alter. He handed her one of the incense that were currently burning and she accepted it with as graceful of a bow as she could muster. She held the thin burning stick between her palms and closed her eyes. Before they had arrived the older Uchiha women had all instructed her on what to pray for. To pray that her children would have the strength to carry the family on their back. To pray for continued wealth and intelligence. To pray for power. They were all admirable suggestions but she already knew what she was going to ask the Uchiha elders.

It was the same thing she had wished for since the day she'd heard their little hearts beat for the first time. It was what she wished for every time Sasuke looked at her or when his rough hands would rub her belly when he thought she was sleeping. All she wanted was for her children to be happy. Regardless of where life might take them, she prayed that they would be happy. Confidently she opened her eyes and placed the incense back into its place on the altar. The priest bowed low at his waist as she turned around to rejoin the other Uchiha women who were hovering silently near the entrance of the interior courtyard. She made it all the way back to the women on her own, wincing the entire way as her contractions became increasingly uncomfortable. Nervously she rubbed her swollen belly.

''Please settle down.'' she whispered to her restless twins.

The other Uchiha women instantly surrounded her and began trying to pry information on what she had prayed for. Hinata felt her body heat up from all of the attention and how the other women were closing in on her. That coupled with the thick the smoke made it slightly more difficult for her to breathe. Mikoto noticed her discomfort and quickly led her over to a stone bench to sit underneath the shade of an ancient oak tree. Grateful to get off of her aching feet for a moment, Hinata sat down and rubbed small comforting circles against her belly.

"This is the first time that twins have been born in this family in over a century." Mikoto said with a soft, proud smile. "The women are overexcited."

"Overexcited?" Snorted one of the white-haired great aunts...or perhaps she was only a cousin, there were too many Uchiha for her to keep track of. "This is nothing. We'd be happier if we knew the gender of the children. We'd be able to prepare better."

"If you knew the gender you'd never let poor Hinata sleep!" Mikoto laughed and Hinata gave a weak smile of agreement.

If the women had known whether she was having boys or girls they would have certainly made more of a fuss. A girl would be special but male Uchiha garnered more pomp and circumstance. There were heir ceremonies that would need to be prepared for soon after their birth. The elder Uchiha women were just itching to get started. Unfortunately for them, it was a Hyuuga tradition to wait to find out the gender until the child was born. It didn't matter if they were a boy or girl, all that mattered was which child came first.

Hinata smiled as she felt a small foot kick against her hand. For all this talk of traditions, she and Sasuke were upending quite a few. He was the second son elevated to the position of an heir, the youngest of any Uchiha to hold the title of Head. Unwed and already expecting two children from a Hyuuga woman. They were together under very unorthodox circumstances but Hinata couldn't find it in her heart to feel guilty even though their ancestors on both sides were rolling in their graves.

"Are you ready to head down?" Mikoto asked and a chill went down Hinata's spine.

Getting up those steep steps had been a miracle. Getting back down would take more than an act of god. The Hyuuga still nodded her head. She was determined not to appear weak in front of all these perfect aunts and cousins. With a lot of effort, Hinata was on her feet again but only for a few moments before another contraction racked through her body. Her face flushed red as she bit her bottom lip in an attempt not to cry out.

"Hinata?" Mikoto asked worriedly, her motherly arms wrapping around the girl's crumpled shoulders. "Hinata what's wrong?"

The Uchiha women gathered in even closer, concern etched over all of their faces. Hinata clutched her swollen stomach as the final throughs of pain left her. Her eyes burned, whether from unshed tears or the smoke in the air, she wasn't quite sure.

'No.' She thought as a warm gushing rushed out from between her legs. 'It was much too soon.'

 **….**

 **Thursday, May 31, 2018, 12:31 pm**

 **Hyuuga Enterprise**

 **….**

"Now if you would look at graphic twenty-two on page fifty-three you will see the gains..." The dull voice of the presenter droned on.

Sasuke resisted the urge to yawn. Looking tired was the last thing he needed to do right now. It wasn't that he particularly cared if anyone was offended by his apathy but Hinata had asked for him to make an effort with her father. He couldn't get much lower in Hiashi's eyes but yawning in the middle of a meeting wasn't going to help matters. Mindlessly the Uchiha flipped to the page the presenter had indicated. The multicolored scatterplot made his eyes cross. All of the numbers jumbled together, his eyelids grew heavy. He wouldn't be this tired if Hinata hadn't kept him up 'nesting' all night...

 _Sasuke sighed as he left the elevator on the floor of the penthouse. Now that Itachi was off gallivanting who knows where, he was the sole owner of the space. It would have been a lonely existence living so high above the hustle and bustle of the city but Hinata was in there. Soon his children would be playing around inside too. The Uchiha smiled as he turned the doorknob and let himself in. His smile faltered when he didn't hear the familiar sounds of Hinata in the kitchen and the smell of her cooking was nowhere to be found._

 _He pouted a bit but tried to let his budding bad mood roll off his back. Hinata was likely too tired to cook. She didn't have to be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen but he liked it when she was. It meant he didn't have to order takeout. Hinata had spoiled him with her cooking the last few months and now everything tasted like cardboard in comparison. Saddened by the lack of dinner, Sasuke loosened his tie and shuffled over to the kitchen. Maybe there were leftovers in the fridge. He didn't make it far to the kitchen before the faint sound of sniffles reached his ear. Panic sank in and all thoughts of food left his mind._

 _Quickly he made his way to where his brother's old room was and threw open the door. The inside of the room looked as though a tornado had hit. Bubble wrap and packing peanuts layered over the hardwood like trashy snow. Pieces of dark wood were scattered all over the room. More screws than he thought conceivable were rolling haphazardly on the floor. In the center of the chaos was his crying girlfriend clutching a comically large sheet of paper to her chest. She looked up at him, her face bloated and red, and her bottom lip quivered._

 _"S-s-Sasuke." She stammered as she tried to wipe her wet face with the heel of her hand. "I-I I didn't h-hear you come in. W-welcome home."_

 _Sasuke did his best to keep his face as impassive as possible. If she knew how scared he'd been for the last few seconds it would only make her cry more. Hinata had become incredibly emotional the further along she got in her pregnancy, the slightest wrong twitch of his eyebrow might send her into a fit. Sure he enjoyed how horny she was now due to her hormones, her libido exceeded his own at times, but a crying Hinata was something he still had no idea how to handle._

 _She cried when she was unable to sleep but also when she felt guilty for sleeping in. She cried when he made her breakfast because he'd neglected to bring her peanut butter and when he took too long in the shower. She cried because she was fat, for the rain, and for her favorite characters dying on t.v. It was a lot for someone as unemotional as him to deal with but he figured he only had himself to blame. He was the one who got her pregnant. In a way, he supposed that it was better that Hinata only cried. According to Naruto, Ino got angry...very, very angry._

 _Hinata sniffed, breaking him from his thoughts and turning his attention back to the situation at hand. Sasuke crossed the room and crouched down next to her. He inspected one of the many screws at her feet before taking the large piece of paper out of her grasp. The words on the paper were so obscenely tiny that Sasuke already felt frustrated looking at them._

 _"It's supposed to be their cribs b-b-but I can't figure it out!" Hinata said, her voice cracking a bit at the end. " I can't do anything r-r-right!"_

 _"Hinata-" Sasuke started but the woman was already on a roll._

 _"My children don't even have beds! I'm going to be a horrible mother!"_

 _Sasuke frowned and ignored Hinata's tirade. No matter what he said in protest, Hinata would twist it to fit her own logic. She also absolutely hated being touched, especially by him, whenever she was feeling sorry for herself. She wasn't going to stop crying until she got all of her insecurities off of her chest and even then he was sure that she would find more reasons to cry after that. He couldn't wait for the children to be born so that he could get his normal Hinata back. Silently he began trying to decipher the confusing instructions to what were supposed to be the babies' cribs. It wouldn't be so bad to assemble if it was only one but two was a nightmare. Eventually, Hinata stopped crying and had waddled out of the room, likely to forage the fridge for whatever craving had hit her mid-pity party._

 _She returned only a few moments later with a carton of strawberry ice cream and a large spoon. He raised an eyebrow at her 'meal'. She was supposed to be eating healthy things as per the doctor's orders. Icecream wasn't on the 'do not eat' list but he didn't want his children to already be hooked on sugar before they were born. Hinata's eyes narrowed at him when she noticed the disapproval on his face. Stubbornly she stabbed her spoon into the cartoon and scooped out a big portion of the frozen confectionary just to spite him. A shiver ran down his spine as Hinata simultaneously shoveled icecream into her mouth and glared at him. She was scary when she wanted to be. Only a couple more months and he'd have his gentle, non-scary, non-crying Hinata back. With a defeated shake of his head, he continued working on the cribs..._

Sasuke blinked slowly as he tried to focus on what the presenter was saying. He had been up well into the night assembling the cribs and when he'd finished he was quite proud of Hinata for picking them out. They might have been a hassle but the dark cherry wood was incredibly sturdy and simple. He had found it odd that Hinata didn't put any of the handknitted baby blankets or stuffed animals they'd been deluged with into the cribs but apparently those kinds of things could kill babies in their sleep. Who knew?

After the cribs were finally up the Hyuuga woman was in much better spirits. So much so that she kept him up for the rest of the night to express her _gratitude_. At the time he was a more than a willing participant but now his nighttime activities were coming back to bite him hard in the butt. His eyes had only closed for a moment when an irritated cough from across the conference table woke him up. Hiashi sat stone-faced in front of him, his jaw clenched and his eyes cold.

"Is this boring you Uchiha?" He asked tersely and Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He had to make an effort to be nice for Hinata's sake. He motioned for the presenter to continue and ignored the way Hiashi continued to stare him down with contempt.

"As I was saying-"

 _Vvvvbbrrrrrrrrrrrr..._

Sasuke groaned internally as his phone vibrated violently against the conference room table. He tried to ignore it but all eyes had turned towards him except for Hiashi. The man's upper lip curled in distaste over the fact that Sasuke would allow such a disruption to take place. Soon his phone calmed down and his heart rate slackened slightly. To his left Neji began to fidget in his chair, the faint sound of something vibrating in his pocket. The new heir to the Hyuuga didn't dare do more to acknowledge the disruption but it was clear that he was worried.

 _VVVVVVVvvvvvvvvbbbbbrrrrrrrrr_

Something wasn't right. Sasuke felt his forehead crease as his phone continued to vibrate. Everyone knew he was in a meeting right now. There was absolutely no reason to call him unless there was trouble. Suddenly his heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. _Trouble._ The only thing anyone would dare to call him about would be if it had to do with Hinata. She was much too early to be going into labor right now. Had something happened to her? Were the twins okay?

Hiashi let out a low, disgruntled breath when he picked up his phone but Sasuke couldn't care less. There on the caller id was the number of the hospital they had picked out for Hinata to give birth. Neji peered over his shoulder and was on his feet in the next second. The Hyuuga was already frantically shoving his folders into his briefcase when Sasuke accepted the call. On the other end, he could hear the sounds of machines beeping and nurses shouting orders to each other. He had hoped to hear Hinata's voice on the other end of the phone but instead, it was his mother that spoke.

"Sasuke! We're at the hospital. Hinata-"

 **….**

 **Thursday, May 31, 2018, 1:12 pm**

 **Leaf General Hospital- Maternity Ward**

 **….**

It smelled like antiseptic the moment he burst through the hospital doors with Neji hot on his heels. They got odd looks from those waiting in the lobby area but neither one of them cared too much. They both had only one goal in mind, getting to Hinata in time. She was arguably one of the most important women in both their lives. They may not agree on much but when it came to Hinata it was as though they were on the same wavelength. Quickly they stormed through the busy waiting room and through the double doors that would lead them towards the corridor for labor and delivery. One brave nurse tried to stop them but a withering glare from Neji was all that it took for her to back off.

All around him Sasuke could hear the cries of pain, cries of life. It made his own heart threaten to burst out of his chest at any moment. It was too soon for Hinata to be going into labor. Sure the risk of an early delivery was higher when one was carrying twins but she'd had a healthy pregnancy up to this point. What if something went wrong? What if they lost one or both of the twins? What if he lost her? That dreadful feeling of impending doom washed over him to the point where all of the other noises were blocked out of his psyche. All he could hear was his own blood rushing in his ears as he practically flew down the hallway. The thought of losing Hinata consumed him with guilt. Guilt for being annoyed with her hormones. Guilt for getting her pregnant in the first place and therefore putting her in danger. Guilt for not being by her side right in this moment-

Neji's hand shot out and grabbed his upper arm forcefully. The Uchiha opened his mouth, a scathing remark on the tip of his tongue when out of the corner of his eye he noticed the room number his mother had taken a picture of. Room 306. Without a second of hesitation, he threw open the room door and was greeted by no less than three aggravated nurses, his mother's confused face, and Hinata sitting on the bed with her legs spread in stirrups. Of all the people in the room, she looked the happiest to see him.

"Sasuke-" she started, her voice slightly strained, but she was interrupted by the blonde doctor who emerged from the tent between Hinata's legs.

"Ah." The busty woman said as she looked Sasuke up and down. "So you're the one they paged me about that was tearing through the hospital. Don't worry. You've made it with plenty of time to spare. Her water broke but she's not dilated enough to go into labor just yet."

Sasuke let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Slowly he approached Hinata's bedside and placed a firm hand on her shoulder. She softly patted his hand in a comforting way. Like always, she seemed to know what was going through his mind without him having to say a word. How odd that at a time like this he was the one that needed to be comforted. The blonde woman skillfully removed her rubber gloves before taking Hinata's legs out of the stirrups. With a warm smile, she patted the Hyuuga's thigh and stood up.

"You're in for a long night but you're in good hands. This isn't the first time I've delivered pesky Uchiha's." She said and Hinata laughed.

"Thank you for your assistance Tsunade. " Mikoto smiled with a small bow and Tsunade left the room with her small band of nurses.

Now that the team of medical personnel was gone and Hinata sitting in a more decent position, Neji finally entered the room. Sasuke watched as Hinata's face lit up seeing her worried cousin standing awkwardly by the door with his phone in his hand.

"I tried to call Hanabi but wherever she's at there's no cell service." He said, clearly miffed at his youngest cousin's absence. Hinata only smiled as she rubbed small comforting circles over her belly.

"The last I heard from her they were going camping. She seemed excited."

Unsure of what to do with himself but happy to see that Hinata was alright, Neji mumbled something incoherent and left the room to find something useful to do.

"How are you feeling now?" Mikoto asked Hinata as she took a seat near the window.

"I'm fine now just..." Hinata started to say but her voice trailed off at the end.

"Scared?" The other woman finished and Hinata solemnly nodded her head. "You'd be foolish not to be. Whether this was your first child or your seventh, it's normal to be afraid."

Internally Sasuke could identify with his mother's words. He'd never felt fear quite like this before. Not only was he afraid of losing Hinata or their children but of what came next. He feared dropping one of the twins on their head or not being able to feed them properly. He feared Hinata realizing that she deserved a lot better than him and leaving one day. He feared failing as a father and one day as a husband...

Slender fingers intertwined themselves with his own, the warmth that radiated from them was immense. Hinata smiled up at him and brought his hand to rest on top of her belly. Immediately he could feel one of the twins moving around inside of her. It appeared they were just as restless as he was.

"They're excited to see you." Hinata said softly, her thumb gently rubbing the back of his hand.

"Since we're going to be awhile." Mikoto spoke up, breaking the peaceful moment between the two. "Let me tell you the story of the day Sasuke was born."

"Mother," Sasuke blankly. He did not wish for Hinata to hear yet another one of his mother's embarrassing stories. "Hinata should be resting."

The Uchiha matriarch only snorted and rolled her eyes.

"You clearly have no idea how long it will be before we can even start pushing. These things take time. Grab a chair and don't talk back. Now, where was I..."

 **….**

 **Thursday, May 31, 2018, 7:45 pm**

 **Leaf General Hospital- Maternity Ward**

 **...**

Sasuke winced as Hinata's grip tightened around his own when another contraction racked through her body. They'd spent the last few hours walking up and down the halls in an effort to get the twins to drop but they were too stubborn. The time between her each of her contractions was shortening and they were becoming more painful each time they happened. Apparently, that was a good thing according to his mother...and the nurses...and anyone else that tried to assuage their worries. However, the more time that ticked by the likelihood of Hinata being able to give birth naturally decreased. A small cry of pain escaped Hinata's lips and she leaned heavily against him. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the sleeve of his shirt.

"I-it hurts..." She moaned weakly through the pain, her eyes squeezed shut.

"Only a little longer." Sasuke reiterated words he'd heard the nurses confidently say earlier but his own insecurity shone through in his words. How much longer would she have to endure this? Why weren't the twins coming?

"S-s-Sasuke..."

 _"Sasuke!" Hinata called out from inside of the house. "I'm in the kitchen!"_

 _The Uchiha closed the door to the penthouse behind him just as he was slipping out of his shoes. The smells wafting from the kitchen made his stomach growl violently, urging him towards the source. Hinata peeked her head around the corner with a big grin on her face and a wooden spoon in her hand._

 _"Welcome home." She said as he closed the distance between them._

 _The smell coming from the oven was overpowering, to say the least. He'd almost forgotten to kiss Hinata on the forehead he was so hungry. Curiously he opened the oven door to inspect what could possibly smell so good but the Hyuuga popped his hand with the back of her spoon._

 _"Don't peek." She chided softly and ushered him back out of the kitchen._

 _His stomach protested her treatment but he didn't give it any voice. He had learned that after five months with a pregnant Hinata it was better to just do whatever she said. Not that he minded too much since most of her directives were reasonable. Sighing, he sank onto the couch in the living room and noticed a new picture frame resting face down on the coffee table. He picked up the small frame and almost had to do a double take. The woman in the photo was uncannily similar to Hinata. Same long dark hair, same nose, same smile. Those eyes that looked at him softly as though they already knew what he was thinking... The only thing that was off was the fact that the woman in the picture was much further along in her pregnancy than Hinata. Was this woman Hinata's mother?_

 _Sasuke glanced back to the direction of the kitchen and watched as his girlfriend flitted about the kitchen before returning his gaze to the picture. There was no other explanation for why Hinata would resemble this woman so much. She never spoke about her mother but Sasuke had learned from Neji that the woman had passed when Hinata was very young. At the time he didn't think to ask what had happened to the previous Hyuuga matriarch but seeing her now, so young and vibrant, tugged at his gut._

 _"Dinner is almost ready-oh!" A small voice squeaked behind him and he looked up to see Hinata hovering near the arm of the couch. "I didn't mean to leave that out."_

 _"She is your mother." He said. Hinata's bright face fell a little bit at his statement but she nodded her head."The resemblance is remarkable."_

 _"Yes...I...I suppose it is."_

 _Carefully Hinata came around to the other side of the couch and sat down next to him. She took the frame from his hands and ran her fingers thoughtfully over the glass. Sasuke felt that same tug as before but this time more intensely as he watched Hinata deep in thought._

 _"What happened?" he asked and her dark brows knitted together. For a moment it seemed as if she wouldn't answer but eventually, she turned to him with eyes glassed over with unshed tears._

 _"She...she was wonderful. At least I think she was. She was so beautiful and strong. I believed that there was nothing she couldn't do and I always wanted to be just like her." Hinata said, her voice distant as though she were recalling a memory just out of her grasp. "I didn't know this at the time but she'd had health problems throughout her life. Her having me... may have shortened her life. Her having Hanabi ultimately ended it."_

Her whimpers through the pain were something he never thought he'd hear. Guilt surged through him once more. It was his fault she was in such a state. A few moments later, her pained moans decreased but the remnants of the hurt she was feeling as still etched on her features. Slowly they made their way back to hospital room which was packed already with medical equipment and staff. With one of the nurse's assistance, he was able to get Hinata back up onto the bed. Carefully they rolled her onto her side just as another hard contraction hit. Her hand shot out automatically to find him and upon coming up empty she clutched the thin white hospital sheets. Quickly he made it around to the other side of the bed and replaced the sheets with his hand in her grip.

 **….**

 **Thursday, May 31, 2018, 9:00 pm**

 **Leaf General Hospital- Maternity Ward**

 **...**

 _Breathe in. Breathe out._

"Alright, try again." Tsunade urged from between her legs. "Push!"

 _Breathe in-_

Searing hot pain ripped through her as she tried her best to do as she was told. Her vision blurred and all of the loud voices in the room mixed together with the rapidly beeping machine. All she could focus on was her body feeling as though it was being ripped in half. Faintly she registered a hand pressing against her thigh, the signal to stop pushing. She panted from the effort but stopped.

 _In. Out. In. Out._

Hinata tried her best to remain as calm as possible but the longer this went on the more worried she became. Was she going to fail at this too? No, she couldn't think that way. She could do this.

"Okay Hinata, Push!"

The Hyuuga did as she was told, crying out all the while. She pushed and pushed but despite the pain, there was still nothing to show for it. A hand pressed against her thigh again and Tsunade stood up.

 _In. Out. In-_

Panic gripped her as nurses began to surround her, the sound of her heart rate monitor increased simultaneously. Tsunade was sternly commanding her personnel, pointing in different directions with the confidence of someone who'd done this countless times before. She tried to make out what they were saying but nothing made sense. It was as if her ears had been plugged. Frantically she looked around the room. Something was wrong. Something was wrong with her babies. She tried to sit up but her body wouldn't do as she commanded. Nurses continued to rush around her, new equipment and a stretcher were rolled into the room. Suddenly a pair of warm hands cupped her face, brushing her sweaty bangs off of her forehead.

 _In. Out-_

Sasuke's dark eyes bored deeply into her own. He was saying something. His lips were moving but no sound was coming out. Her heart clenched as she tried to read his lips but nothing made sense. The only thing she knew was that something was wrong. She'd failed.

"My babies." She whimpered through her cracked lips. Fear gripped her as she realized that her voice didn't even sound like her own. "My babies."

She could only utter those two words. Nothing else but that mattered. Her babies. Their babies. They were dying and so was she. Her chest was constricting, each breath harder to take than the last. Sasuke's hands continued to rub her forehead, telling her things she couldn't understand until a plastic mask was placed over her nose and mouth. Her cry for her babies was muffled by the mask. She couldn't even understand her own words. Her tongue grew heavy in her mouth as the world around her faded away.

"My...babies..."

 **Until Next Time...** **B is for Discovery**

 _"You are the prettiest of them all."_


	2. B is for Discoveries

**CCNote** **: Wow y'all thanks for all the love!**

 **This weekend is the Atami Fish Festival (super excited to eat my way through that) and Daidogei, an international street performance festival is taking place in my city. If you wanna see some of the weird events just let me know in the reviews and I'll send you my snapchat info.**

 _ **Sidenote:**_ **If you have never seen the Naruto Arc that involved the relationship between Izumi Uchiha and Itachi I recommend giving it a look. There are lots of clips on youtube. It's very bittersweet but I kinda like that kind of thing.**

 _ **To reviewers wondering what happened to Hinata and the twins:**_ **You'll find out their fate soon.**

 **As always, please overlook my glaring mistakes and don't forget to write a REVIEW! It only takes less than a minute to make me happy. Enjoy!**

 **B is for Discoveries**

 **Thursday, May 31, 2018, 11:35 am**

 **Shizutezu- 3rd Car**

 **...**

Hanabi sighed as she stared at her phone. No signal. Her phone was no better than a brick at this point and honestly, she had half a mind to chuck it. She hadn't been able to speak to any of her friends or family since she and Itachi had gone camping and it bothered her to no end to be disconnected in such an absolute way. With a frown, she reached under her seat for her backpack and slid her phone into one of the side pockets. Maybe once they arrived at their next destination she would be able to check in on everyone. Once her phone was tucked away she crossed her arms and sank down low in her seat, the jostling of the train swaying her back and forth. Itachi was sitting across from her, his nose buried in a book and unbothered by the loud sounds of the train rushing forward along the tracks. Casually he flipped to the next page as Hanabi unconsciously began tapping her foot.

"You're restless this morning." Itachi said flatly and Hanabi ceased her tapping.

"Where are we going this time?" She asked.

So far Itachi was very enigmatic about their summer trip. During their first week, they spent the entire time on a boat in the middle of the ocean with the Uchiha's assistant Kisame. Their second week was spent roughing it in the forest, the concept of camping was so odd but she'd enjoyed it none the less. She'd learned a lot the last few weeks like how to gut a fish and how to tie a proper knot. Her fingers still smelled like smoke from all the times she'd tried to start a fire without matches which was a skill Itachi was surprisingly good at. The last two weeks had been more fun than she'd ever expected but now she was antsy to know what was next. Part of her didn't think Itachi even had much of an idea of where they were going or what they'd do when they go there. It was almost like he had some kind of weird bucket list he wanted to complete.

"You'll see when we get there." He said and flipped to the next page in his book.

Hanabi pouted and crossed her arms. _You'll see_. That was the Uchiha's answer to everything. Regardless of where they ended up she just hoped that it was somewhere the bed didn't move or had a risk of bugs crawling on her in her sleep. Outside the train window, she watched the tunnel of thick evergreen trees become sparse until they emerged into a field of blue and green.

"Whoa!" Hanabi gasped, nearly pressing her nose again the glass as she took in the sight.

The rolling hills were overrun with wildflowers. Yellows, pinks, and purples...she had no idea what kind of flowers they were but they were absolutely breathtaking. The train increased its speed, blurring the colors of the flowers together. Soon small cottages were dotting the hillside going down into a populous valley. Being that she was so used to the cramped quarters of the city, seeing what amounted to no more than a village was fascinating. It looked exactly like one of the villages drawn inside of a fairy tale. Peeling herself away from the window she looked over at Itachi who was still reading.

"Are we going there?" She asked, pointing out the window at the small village that was growing bigger with their approach.

Itachi looked down at his watch on his wrist before taking a short glance out the window. He didn't appear impressed at all with the view.

"We still have another hour before we have to get off." He said and returned to his book.

Her hopeful mood dropped slightly and they pulled into the village's platform only a few minutes later. The train whistled loudly, alerting everyone to its arrival. She watched from her window as families were reunited, hugging and laughing at jokes that only they shared. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a flash of yellow and her attention was automatically drawn. It was a woman running through the platform, her yellow sundress was a stark contrast against the gray of the station. She seemed to have only one thought in her mind as she launched herself at a dark-haired man who'd just gotten off the train. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed every inch of his face that she could reach. Somehow seeing them so happy made Hanabi feel sad but she couldn't look away from their embrace. As the train pulled away from the station her heart clenched. Absently she rubbed the tension in the center of her chest and turned her head away from the window.

 **….**

 **Thursday, May 31, 2018, 1:20 pm**

 **Makinohara**

 **...**

"Who does this belong to?" Hanabi wondered aloud as she put her stuff down by the front door.

"The Uchiha of course." Itachi said as he stepped around her and into the house.

The light colored hardwood floors creaked under their footsteps and the air was a bit stuffy. There was a thin layer of sand over everything that made their footsteps sound gritty when they walked. Most of the furniture was covered with white sheets and there was a thin layer of dust on everything.

"I thought maybe this place belonged to one of your weird friends." Hanabi said and Itachi smirked.

"Ah...I'm sure you'll run into a few of my 'weird friends' while we are here. They always have a habit of appearing when it's most convenient for them." Itachi replied.

The eldest Uchiha pulled open one of the heavy dark curtains on the opposite side of the room to reveal a panel of glass that reached from the floor to the ceiling. Light immediately poured in through the smudged glass, illuminating the dust motes that were floating in the air. Following Itachi's lead, Hanabi began to pull apart the curtains as well and soon the entire main room was flooded with light. Despite the dinginess of the room, it had excellent potential. All of the glass was able to be slide out of the way, leaving the living room to mingle with the modest deck. There wasn't a backyard because the deck immediately led to the beach. The ocean waves were lapping down below causing a fresh breeze to blow through the house for the first time in forever. While she marveled at the ocean, Itachi started rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

"I hope you're ready to work." He said with a wry smile.

Hanabi grinned back at him, he always said the same thing when he was about to show her something new. She didn't mind working with him, in fact, she enjoyed it. Her father would be appalled at her now all covered in dust and sand, doing tasks that should be left to those lesser than. Hanabi was never one to shy away from being dirty. Part of her actually enjoyed it. It meant that she was useful. Quickly she helped Itachi remove the white sheets from the furniture and pulled them to the deck to be aired out.

 **….**

 **Thursday, May 31, 2018, 4:21 pm**

 **Makinohara- Uchiha Property**

 **...**

"Do you actually know how to turn that thing on without blowing us up?" Hanabi asked skeptically as Itachi stared down at the old gas stove.

"Of course I do."

"Well staring at it isn't going to turn it on."

Itachi flashed her a glare and she had to bite back a laugh. He didn't look intimidating at all with his hair falling out of his ponytail with smudges of dirt on his face and neck. Then again, she'd never understood why he had that 'intimidating' effect on other people in the first place. It had never worked on her. Hanabi's stomach growled causing Itachi's glare to immediately dissipate.

"Let's order pizza for now." He said, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket. "We can figure out the stove situation tomorrow...no signal."

Hanabi frowned and pulled out her phone as well only to be faced with the same dilemma. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. At this rate she wouldn't get to talk to anyone until the summer was over. Itachi put his phone back into his pocket and rolled his tired shoulders.

"There's a little grocery store up the road." He said. "We can probably pick up a few things there. Go change into something clean so people don't think I abuse you."

Hanabi snickered but did as she was told. She made her way to the other side of the small house quickly and opened the door to the only bathroom. Her stomach continued to growl loudly as she pulled on a cleanish yellow t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Most of her clothing felt a bit crunchy since they hadn't had a chance to properly wash them. Washing machines don't fit on small ships and aren't anywhere near camping grounds. Thankfully she was finally going to be able to get a real shower, sleep in a real bed, and wash her clothes properly. Her stomach growled again, urging her to hurry up. The sound only caused Hanabi to chuckle to herself as she redid her hair into a neater ponytail. Perhaps she _was_ being abused.

Satisfied that she was now decent looking she left the bathroom. She could hear the sound of coughing as soon as she made it to the end of the hall. It was a wet cough as though the sufferer had too much congestion in their chest. Curious, she rounded the corner to the kitchen and found Itachi hovering over the obscenely large sink. His fingers gripped the edge of the counter tightly as he took several deep breaths.

"Itachi?" Hanabi asked worriedly. "Itachi, are you alright?"

He didn't answer her right away. It was almost like he hadn't heard her at all. The Uchiha's back straightened and he turned on the faucet. He splashed some of the cold water onto his face and whipped away the moisture with the edge of his shirt. When he turned to her there was a bright smile on his face and for a moment Hanabi thought she was hallucinating. Had he even been coughing at all?

"Let's go. These kinds of shops always keep odd hours."

 **….**

 **Friday, June 1, 2018, 12:11 am**

 **Makinohara- Uchiha Property**

 **...**

Hanabi squinted, the sky was impossibly bright here. There was not a cloud in the sky. Absolutely nothing marred the expansive blue canvas above them. Itachi had found an old beach umbrella while they'd been cleaning and with only a little nudge she'd been able to convince him to go down to the beach. It had taken some time for them to find their swimsuits under all of the stuff they'd packed but once they had they were off to enjoy the beach. They were currently under the shade of the umbrella, the waves lapping at the sand not too far away from them and bringing with it a cool breeze. The Hyuuga was seated near the edge of the umbrella's shadow, digging her toes into the sand and wiggling them. They'd never taken family vacations but she had always envied her friends and their stories when they came back to school. They told tales of fun on the beach and getting tans. Of summer romance and heartbreaks. _Bleh._

That kind of stuff never really interested her. She had other things to grab her attention like fighting. She almost missed losing to Sasuke all the time. Would Konohamaru stand a better chance against Sasuke than her? She'd always felt that Sasuke was particularly harsh on her because she always knew which buttons to press to get him riled up. Konohamaru was much nicer than she was. Maybe that would make the Uchiha let down his guard. Hanabi's heart clenched at the thought of seeing Konohamaru land a punch on Sasuke and not in a good way. They hadn't spoken since the night she'd left his family's fancy boat party. The night she found out her big sister was willing to sell herself just for her to have seat at that snooty table. The Hyuuga attempted to rub the uncomfortable feeling in her chest with the heel of her hand but the tension lingered.

'Konohamaru...' She sighed internally and pulled her knees up to her chest.

She then rested her chin on top of her knees and observed the activity going on around her. There were quite a few others frolicking along the stretch of beach although there was a wide breadth given to the area around the Uchiha property. It was almost like there was an invisible wall that separated them from the rest of the beach. A volleyball game was going on further down the beach and part of her longed to play. With as much physical activity she'd had since traveling with Itachi one would think she might want to rest like he was. Itachi was content to lay out on the beach towel, another book enrapturing his attention.

"If you wish to go play you should do so." Itachi said without looking up from his book.

"You sound like an old man." Hanabi snorted.

"Perhaps." He shrugged, placing his book to the side and finally sitting upright. "The other kids might let you play with them if you remember your manners and ask politely."

"I know how to be polite thank you very much!"

Itachi raised a skeptical eyebrow and she couldn't help but smirk. Being 'polite' wasn't her thing but she did know how to do it. She wasn't raised in a barn.

"In any case, you should go join them. It will be good for you to spend time around others your own age."

"You're just trying to get rid of me." Hanabi teased and Itachi only poked her forehead before laying back down again.

"Go."

"Fine. I'm going." Hanabi huffed and stood up. "But not because you told me to."

Itachi closed his eyes and lazily waved her away.

"Remember not to kick anyone. That's not how you make friends."

Hanabi turned red and covered her face with her hands. She'd only kicked Kisame out of reflex when he tried to wake her up for breakfast their first morning on the boat. The guy was just so creepy and took her by surprise. It wasn't her fault all of Itachi's friends were weird! The Hyuuga peaked through her fingers to see Itachi looking up at her with a wry smirk on his lips. He had enjoyed seeing Kisame with a black eye for the duration of their time on the boat.

"Be back before sunset."

"Yea yea." Hanabi said with a roll of her eyes and turned away.

It was a lot noisier on the more populated stretch of the beach. The faint shrieks of children playing in the waves were much louder here and somehow the sun seemed to burn hotter. There were women slathering on tanning oil and sunbathing without a care in the world. Hanabi tried her best not to look but it was hard. Her own body was nowhere near as curvaceous as some of these women. They looked like they'd just stepped out of a swimsuit magazine. Their bright bikinis put her own swimsuit to shame. Suddenly she felt like she was overdressed in comparison.

She had only brought a black one piece for her trip. It was simple, no frills or excessive cuts. Over her suit, she'd put on one of Itachi's many white t-shirts. It was much too big for her and almost came down to her knees but she didn't mind it. She burned easily in the sun so she figured wearing it would be another layer of protection without being too hot. Inwardly she cursed her Hyuuga genes and tugged down on the brim of her black baseball cap to bring it lower over her eyes. She should have stayed with Itachi.

Pushing down her insecurity she headed towards the water so that she could stick her feet in. The water was much colder than she had expected but it felt nice in contrast to the weather. A small group of children splashed each other next to her and Hanabi laughed when all of them were doused by a big wave. When they all reemerged from the water their hair was sticking to their faces and spitting out salt water. It was cute-

"Hey, you! Watch out!" A familiar voice called and Hanabi spun around searching for the owner.

 _BAM_

Something hard hit her in the middle of her forehead and sent her tumbling backward into the water. She hissed as her butt fell hard in the shallow end of the water however she wasn't able to collect herself fully before a small wave washed over her. Now it was the other children's' turn to laugh at her as she spat out a mouthful of salt water. She wiped her hair out of her eyes and grimaced at the fact that she was now going to have to wash her hair again.

"Hey! Sorry about that are you alright?" That familiar voice shouted again. "I thought you heard- _Hanabi?"_

Upon hearing her name Hanabi looked up and her mouth fell open. Konohamaru was there in the flesh and he looked just as surprised to see her. His skin was slightly darker from being in the sun but it suited him. She wondered how far the tan went and her eyes bulged when she realized just how low Konohamaru's dark blue swim trunks were hanging on his hips. Her mouth went dry. She had to be going crazy. Had she been so bored that she had dreamed him up? Had she been out in the sun for too long and was now going crazy? That was a thing right? If this was a hallucination, it was a very vivid one.

"Hanabi what are you-" Konohamaru started to say but was interrupted by a female voice coming up to them.

"I got the ball back!" She said cheerfully and bounded up to Konohamaru's side with the volleyball that had hit Hanabi.

The girl looked to be the same age as them with bright orange hair and dark eyes. Those same eyes were looking down at her curiously and suddenly Hanabi was very aware of the fact that she was still sitting in the water. Quickly she stood up and tried not to show how awkward she was feeling on the inside.

"Konohamaru who is this?" The girl asked and the boy scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"This is Hanabi...my...ugh...a friend." He said and the girl nodded.

 _Friend_...the word cut deeper than Hanabi would have ever imagined that it would. They were _not_ friends.

"I see, well then Hanabi, it's nice to meet a friend of Konohamaru's all the way out here! My name is Moegi. I'm Konohamaru's girlfriend."

The one named Moegi reached out a tanned hand for Hanabi to shake but the Hyuuga didn't reciprocate the gesture. If she touched Moegi it was likely she'd break her hand and that wasn't very polite now was it? Hanabi kept her face impassive as she rung out the water from the end of her t-shirt. Moegi, of course, wasn't wearing a t-shirt. Her perfectly tanned body was on display in a small pink bikini, her breasts pressed against Konohamaru's side. No matter how friendly the girl tried to sound or how big she smiled, she was marking her territory.

"Girlfriend huh?" Hanabi said as she bent down to pick her hat up out of the water. "I didn't realize Konohamaru was allowed to have one of those."

Moegi dropped her ignored hand but the big smile on her face stayed plastered on. She ran a hand through her bright orange hair and gave a small laugh to Hanabi's statement before looking up at Konohamaru.

"I guess everyone knows how picky you are huh?"

"Hey, are you guys going to get back here or what?!" One of the volleyball players up the beach yelled.

"Just a minute! Hold your horses!" Moegi called over her shoulder before turning an apologetic smile in Hanabi's direction. "Sorry about that. Hey, do you want to join us?"

Konohamaru tensed at Moegi's invitation but the girl didn't seem to notice. Hanabi registered the change in him immediately and her own body stiffened. She looked out at the net she'd been admiring for so long, envious of the people who had been happily playing around it, but the idea of joining them now left a sour taste in her mouth. Somehow it felt like she wasn't being invited out of genuine interest. It was just a platitude. An olive branch to a _friend_ of Konohamaru's. Above all else, she was a Hyuuga and Hyuugas do not accept handouts. It wasn't like Konohamaru was jumping at the bit to spend time with her anyway.

"Another time." Hanabi said blandly as she placed her baseball cap back on her head. "I'll see you around, _friend_."

 **….**

 **Saturday, June 2, 2018, 5:23 pm**

 **Ren's**

 **...**

"Hi! My name is Izumi and I'll be your...your...ah...your server for t-this evening!"

The slender woman bowed clumsily to them, her entire face flushing red with embarrassment. Her long brown hair was tied back in a ponytail that swung with every move of her head. When she rose from her bow Hanabi noticed the small black mole just below her right eye, the only blemish on her otherwise smooth face.

'No.' Hanabi thought as she studied the woman's face closer. 'It wasn't a blemish. It was...cute.'

"What can I get for you this evening?" She asked, her voice cracking at the end.

Across the table, Itachi put down his menu and rested his chin lazily on the heel of his hand.

"Do you see anything you want?" He asked the Hyuuga and Hanabi shook her head.

All she knew was that she was starving. She and Itachi had yet to figure out how to turn on the gas stove in the house which regulated them to cold premade meals at the grocery store. The smells wafting from this tiny beach diner were too good to pass up. They'd followed their noses inside but now their eyes were faced with an overwhelming menu with too many things to try. Itachi's dark eyes slid from her up to the waitress who grew tense under his attention. Hanabi half expected the woman to bolt.

"What do you prefer?" He asked and Izumi's face turned even redder but she did her best to maintain some sense of decorum.

Hanabi blinked. In a way, the woman vaguely reminded her of Hinata. Unwittingly pretty, unreasonably embarrassed. At the thought of her older sister, she mentally smacked her forehead. She'd left her phone back in the house!

"Our tempura is the most popular dish-" Izumi started to say but Itachi looked mildly dissatisfied with her answer. "Or-or many say they like the grilled flounder."

"I'm not asking what other people like." Itachi said simply. "I'm asking what _you_ like."

"Oh! M-m-me...um..."

"Itachi." Hanabi interrupted, already starting to slide out of her booth. "I left my phone at the house. I need to go get it and try to see if I can make a call."

After being off the grid for nearly two and a half weeks her cousin Neji had likely sent out an international search party to look for her. He was probably driving everyone crazy.

"I'll order something for you. Can you bring mine as well?" Itachi asked and Hanabi nodded her head and scooted past Izumi to get out of the cramped shop.

Once she was outside Hanabi looked to her left and to her right before getting a sense of which was she was supposed to be going. The Uchiha property wasn't very far from this part of the beachside community. It wouldn't take her long at all to get there and back. Quickly she made her way up the sandy sidewalk with the hope that the small diner might be the place where their phones would pick up a signal.

"Hey, do you remember that girl from yesterday?" A squeaky voice asked.

Hanabi would have kept on walking if she hadn't heard Moegi's voice respond.

"Yea, what about her?"

Hanabi tensed. They could be talking about anyone right? Their voices weren't far away, if anything they were getting closer. Panicked she slipped into a nearby shop to avoid running into Moegi and her friends. The bell above the door jingled loudly as she rushed in. The entire shop smelled like gunpowder but it was completely empty. She let out a breath of relief as she watched Mogei and two of her friends come around the corner from the store's glass display. Quickly she ducked down before they could see her too but cursed when the shop's bell jingled again. Carefully Hanabi slipped down one of the back aisles when she heard the girl's voices fill the shop. Her back hit shelf causing a small box to fall to the floor with a loud smack. She kicked the box away and held her breath, praying that the girls didn't come down her aisle.

"You're being ridiculous Saya." Hanabi heard Moegi say and the girl named Saya sucked her teeth.

"You said she had weird white eyes right?" Saya prodded.

"Yea but that doesn't mean anything-"

"You're being naive Moe." Another voice chimed in which Hanabi could only infer belonged to the other girl Moegi had walked in with. "My cousin goes to that school. She says that it was known by everyone that Konohamaru was interested in some Hyuuga girl."

"You have no idea if she's a Hyuuga or even if she is _that_ Hyuuga." Moegi defended but even she didn't sound convinced by her own words. "Hyuugas don't come here anyway."

"Well, that one did." Saya replied. "Maybe she's chasing after him. She could be some kind of stalker trying to get him back."

"She knows we are together. I don't think she'd do something like try to break us up."

Hanabi frowned. She was most certainly not a stalker. It was by some twist of fate that she and Konohamaru had even managed to cross paths. There was some rustling of boxes as the girls riffled through the store's merchandise and their conversation continued.

"All we are saying is to keep an eye out. Konohamaru is a good match. You don't want a snobby Hyuuga snatching him away." The other girl advised.

"She didn't come across as snobby, maybe standoffish but...I think she's lonely. I don't think she has any friends here."

"Well, that's not your problem." Saya sniffed and there was a thud as Hanabi presumed she placed a heavy basket on the counter.

The girls rang a bell near the counter and there was some shuffling around until a cashier could be heard approaching.

"Oh ho!" A cheery male voice enthused and the girls giggled. "You must be having an extra special bonfire tonight. That will be...on the house tell your father I said hi Moegi."

"Thanks, Deidra! You're the best!"

"Be careful hun, those are some powerful explosions!"

"Yea, yea, we will be careful, bye!"

The girls' giggles matched the chiming of the bell above the door as they left the shop. Finally, there was silence. Hanabi peeked her head out to the aisle to confirm that she was now alone. The toe of her shoe hit the box she knocked over previously and she picked it up.

"Sparklers." Hanabi mumbled to herself.

"Is anyone there?" The shopkeeper called out and Hanabi squeaked. "Hello?"

Reluctantly Hanabi stepped out from the aisle and the shopkeeper smiled at her like he knew her. He ran a hand through his long blonde hair and cocked his head to the side.

"Hanabi! I was wondering when I'd get the chance to finally see you, hun." Deidra grinned. "Itachi's a selfish bastard who keeps all the girls to himself."

Hanabi's eyes narrowed, who the hell is this guy and how did he know who she was?

"And you are?" She asked suspiciously and the man laughed.

"I am an artist!" He said, flipping his blonde hair over his shoulder. Hanabi was unimpressed. The man's smile faltered a bit. "Kisame said you were a tough nut. I didn't realize you were this tough."

Hanabi blushed which made Deidra laugh more heartily than she felt was warranted.

'He must be another one of Itachi's weird friends.' Hanabi groaned inwardly.

"I'm about to close up for the day. Take those sparklers with you and tell Itachi he needs to visit me soon before I come looking for him myself."

 **….**

 **Saturday, June 2, 2018, 6:45 pm**

 **Makinohara- Uchiha Property**

 **...**

Hanabi sighed as she watched the bonfire off in the distance. It wasn't much to look at from this distance but occasionally they clumsily set off some of Deidra's fireworks. The explosions lit up the night sky with bright oranges and reds. Sometimes the ocean breeze carried the faint sounds of the merriment down to her small stretch of the beach and it made her chest feel tight. Konohamaru was down there with those girls from earlier. He was with Moegi.

Did he think about her at all? Was he thinking about her right now? Hanabi sniffed as she swung her legs listlessly back and forth off the edge of the deck. Probably not. He was too busy having fun with his pretty new girlfriend and her equally pretty friends to likely give her a second thought. Hanabi shook her head. She had no right to think so spitefully of Moegi. Her friends might be bitter birds in her ear but the girl had defended Hanabi in the shop. The Hyuuga snorted to herself as she tore her eyes away from the fire in the distant.

"She doesn't even know me and yet she was nice enough to stand up for me." Hanabi mumbled under her breath.

Somehow that kindness, even though it was small, made her feel sick. Part of her had hoped that Moegi was a bitch like her friends. It would make it easier to dislike her. It would make her feel better about these unresolved feelings she had towards Konohamaru. But this was her own fault wasn't it? She was the one who had pushed him away after the boat party. Even after Neji had told her that he'd been by to see her she did not seek him out. She didn't call him and he didn't call her. When they saw each other again after winter break she returned with a cast on her wrist and he had a wall. Rumors of their breakup spread like wildfire around the school as well as the conspiracies about the reasons behind it.

They'd never broken up. Not properly at least. No one had said the words. 'I don't want you anymore' or 'let's be friends'. He never looked in her direction and eventually, she'd stopped hoping that he would. At some point, she'd heard that Konohamaru wasn't actually allowed to associate with her in any capacity anymore. Of all the rumors that she'd heard that was the only one that actually hurt. It meant that she had been right that night at the party...

"You did not return." A deep voice said and Hanabi looked up. Itachi was staring down at her with a curious look in his dark eyes.

"I wasn't hungry anymore." She replied.

The Uchiha nodded his head and leaned up against the railing of the deck. Silence fell between them but it was something Hanabi had grown comfortable with. Itachi didn't pry into her business like Neji. He didn't judge her the way she secretly suspected Sasuke did. The only other person she was this comfortable around was her sister and even that relationship was a bit strained. After those hurtful things she'd said to Hinata...she'd been too ashamed to even apologize. Her sister didn't need or want an apology either which only made Hanabi feel more guilty. Guilty because she didn't mean those terrible things. Guilty that she would never be able to be as selfless as Hinata.

Hinata was everything she wanted to be. Soft and kind. Everyone loved her as soon as they met her. Hanabi, on the other hand, was nothing but rough edges and sharp words. Men fell over themselves to get a look at the former Hyuuga heiress, rumored to be the prettiest Hyuuga in a generation. No one had had such flowery words for the younger Hyuuga. Hanabi picked at the scab on her knee. It wasn't like she would take that kindly to flattery anyway. She would likely become suspicious of anyone who attempted it. The teenager frowned to herself, she possessed too much of her father's unyielding nature.

With a sigh, she looked out once more at the bonfire. Moegi seemed to have a pleasant enough personality and she was very pretty. She looked comfortable standing next to Konohamaru while Hanabi had always felt like a rock. A hard, stubborn rock with weird white eyes. Another firework went off and the whoops of excitement went up with it.

"Chi..." Hanabi started, biting her lower lip a bit at the embarrassing question in her head. "Do...do you think I'm pretty?"

She could feel Itachi's eyes scrutinizing the top of her head. When he remained silent she shook her head. The next firework was set off, this time lighting up the sky with bright red bursts of energy.

"Nevermind you don't have to answer something silly like that."

"Hana-" he started to say but his voice cracked and a wet cough racked his body.

He turned away from the railing, covering his mouth as he continued to cough violently. Hanabi sprang up to her feet and caught him in her arms as soon his body started to crumple forward. His head fell into the crook of her neck, his weight pressing down against her smaller frame. Thankfully she was used to handling men much larger than she was otherwise she would have fallen. Droplets of something warm hit her collarbone but she didn't recoil. If anything it made her pull his shaking body closer. Instinctively she rubbed Itachi's back and eventually the coughing subsided. As he struggled to catch his breath again that's when she smelled it. A coppery smell that she was all too familiar with. Another firework exploded in the night sky and Itachi pulled away from her. He tried to wipe his mouth subtly with the back of his hand but Hanabi had already seen it. Blood.

"Itachi." She whispered and the Uchiha shook his head.

"I'm sorry you had to see that."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **C is for Fatherhood**

 _He doubted that he would be a good parent. Yet, when she smiled at him, he couldn't help but wish for a daughter. One that had her mother's pale eyes and soft smile..._


	3. C is for Fatherhood

**CCNote : Hey y'all! Heres another kinda heavy chapter but it gets lighter after this I promise! Thanks so much to everyone that has reviewed thus far I really appreciate it. I also enjoy the favorites and follows but please leave a review as well. It really motivates me to write when I see those review notifications go up. Also the higher the reviews, the more people will click on this story to read it!**

 **As always overlook my glaring mistakes and Enjoy!**

 **C is for Fatherhood**

 _He doubted that he would be a good parent. Yet, when she smiled at him, he couldn't help but wish for a daughter. One that had her mother's pale eyes and soft smile..._

 **Sunday, June 3, 2018, 4:47 pm**

 **Leaf General Hospital -Room 306**

 **...**

Her eyes burned when she first tried to open them. She closed them again immediately and took a shallow, shaky breath. Her head was pounding and she couldn't feel any of her limbs. Everything from her neck down was numb. Part of her wanted to panic but the sensation of her anxiety was muted. She tried to wiggle her fingers and toes but it was almost as if those appendages didn't exist. It was an eery feeling being trapped in her own body. Slowly she opened her eyes again only a little bit at a time to get adjusted to the light. She was greeted with the sight of an unfamiliar ceiling, stark white and unfriendly. Fluorescent lights buzzed above her head.

With a lot of effort, she turned her head to the right. There was a window and although the blinds were closed, beams of light still slipped through the cracks. This wasn't _their_ window. This wasn't _their_ penthouse. She didn't belong here. Where was Sasuke? Why would he leave her alone in a place like this? She turned her head to the left and was surprised to find that she wasn't alone like she thought. Sleeping two chairs near the door were Neji and Tenten. Their shoulders were slumped against each other as their chests rose slowly. All around them were bouquets of flowers, pastel-colored stuffed animals, and balloons. Every free surface in the room was taken up by some sort of offering. Funnily it reminded her of a weird shrine.

"Neji...Ten..." Hinata tried to say but nothing came out.

Her throat felt foreign and dry from disuse. She opened her mouth the speak again but the effort made her tired. Why was she here? Why did she feel like this? _Where was Sasuke?_ Hinata turned her head away from her sleeping cousin and his fiance to stare up at the ceiling. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on just breathing. Just moving her head from one side to the other had already rendered her impossibly tired. She heard the door to the room open and the sound of Neji and Tenten rising from their seats. Hinata wanted to open her eyes again but her eyelids felt too heavy.

"Uncle." Neji said, his voice thick with fatigue.

'Father?' Hinata thought.

She hadn't seen her father since the day she moved out of the compound and into Sasuke's penthouse. He didn't attend the twins' baby shower even though it was held at the Hyuuga compound. _The twins!_ Suddenly everything came rushing back to her. Her babies. Her babies had been dying, they were dying inside of her. Because she wasn't strong enough to do the one thing her body was meant to do. Because she was a failure.

"She's doing much better now." Neji spoke up again. "Tsunade says that when the drugs wear off she'll wake up on her own."

Hinata wanted to scream that she was awake but her mouth wouldn't work. She heard the sound of her father sigh and his footsteps approached the side of her bed. Heavy fingertips brushed against her forehead so gently it almost didn't feel real.

"The twins are stable and in the NICU if you would like to see them as well."

'They're okay.' Hinata thought. If she could cry she would. The twins were okay.

"Where is that Uchiha?" Her father asked flatly, skating by the update on his grandchildren's status.

"He's with the twins. He refuses to leave the ward."

"Boy or girl?" Hiashi asked.

"They're both boys." Neji responded and her father let out a short indignant breath through his nose.

"I am sure the Uchiha clan is pleased."

"Are you?"

Her father didn't say anything but his silence was more than sufficient. He was not pleased. He regretted the day he'd invited the Uchiha clan to merge with the Hyuuga. Hinata wasn't quite sure what happened after that. She had no idea if her father had left the room or if anyone else had joined them. Their voices began to sound like she was listening from underwater. Her mind was fuzzy as she did her best to focus but soon even that proved to be futile as she slipped back into unconsciousness.

 **….**

 **Sunday, June 3, 2018, 7:27 pm**

 **Leaf General Hospital- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit**

 **...**

'They're small.' Sasuke thought to himself for what was likely the millionth time.

Maybe it was the fact that they were premature or maybe it was the fact that they were inside of glass boxes with tons of wires hooked up to them. The nurses had remarked on how calm the twins were every time they handled them. There were other children in the NICU of course, premature babies were born all the time, but the twins were unlike the other children. They rarely cried unless they were hungry or needed to be changed. They had been gaining weight steadily since they'd been removed via cesarian which was a good sign. At least that's what Tsunade said. He honestly couldn't see any significant changes. They still looked too small and impossibly fragile.

"Uchiha." A voice from around the corner called and Sasuke turned away from the glass window.

"Hyuuga."

Neji approached him slowly down the dimly lit hall. There were bags under his eyes and his hair was a bit disheveled. Sasuke wanted to tell the Hyuuga to go home. It had been three days and Neji had his own life to live but Sasuke selfishly kept his mouth shut. Hinata needed someone at her side when she woke up and he couldn't be there. He had to monitor the twins and make sure that nothing happened to them when his back was turned. Perhaps it was due to his own paranoia or guilt but he was afraid. Afraid that when he left for even a moment that would be when one of his sons stopped breathing. He couldn't face Hinata if something like that were to happen. Despite his guilt for not sending Neji away he also knew that the Hyuuga would refuse such a request. He might even take it as an insult. The only person who loved Hinata almost as much as he did was Neji. When the Hyuuga reached his side, Sasuke turned back to the viewing glass. Inside one of the nurses was checking on the twins vitals and recording her readings on a clipboard.

"Hinata?" Sasuke asked.

"Still asleep. She'll wake up soon though. You should be there when she does."

 _When she does_...The last three days Hinata had been heavily sedated. Her c-section to deliver the twins had not been too difficult in the beginning but halfway through she began hemorrhaging. She had nearly died and it was his fault. A heavy hand rested on his shoulder causing him to break from his thoughts.

"I may not be able to read your mind but I can tell a regretful man when I see one," Neji said calmly. "What happened was not within anyone's control. Hinata will be fine. You of all people should know that she is stronger than she looks."

"Hn."

He knew that but that didn't stop him from worrying about her. There was a ruffling of papers and a thin folder was passed to him. Sasuke looked down at the nondescript manilla folder and raised an eyebrow at Neji but didn't accept the papers. The Hyuuga pressed the folders into his hand a bit more insistently and Sasuke finally took them. He flipped open the folder and was greeted with two birth certificates. The twins time of birth, as well as their height and weight, were already printed neatly on the forms. Mother...Hyuuga, Hinata. Father...Uchiha, Sasuke. It was odd seeing his name attached to such a title. He had held many titles so far in his life, some of which he was more comfortable holding than others. The title of father was not something he thought he would possess. The term itself felt thick on his tongue as though he weren't quite worthy enough to say it.

"Everyone is waiting for names." Neji said once more breaking Sasuke from his own thoughts. " It's been three days and the Uchiha and Hyuuga wish to make a public birthing announcement."

"The Hyuuga?" Sasuke asked with a cock of his eyebrow. Neji smirked and shrugged.

"My Uncle may not be that...enthused but news like this is good for business. He supposes that a big flashy press release would do the trick. Happy press always boosts stocks and consumer confidence in our company. A favorable media presence will be good as we begin to look for locations for the new headquarters. People care more about babies than land grabs."

Sasuke snorted and closed the folder. The man didn't even have the decency to see the twins. Hiashi may not _like_ his grandchildren but he sure knew how to use them well. They were only three days old and already being subjected to his machinations. A quick glance at Neji showed that the Hyuuga found the opportunity distasteful as well but something like this was out of his hands. He may now be the heir but he was not the head. Not yet anyway.

"So?"

"They are Uchiha and as such, they will be announced on my time, when I decide. Not any sooner."

"I expected you would say something like that." Neji smirked and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Should I relay the message back as one from the head of the Uchiha clan or as a decision of a father?"

"Father." Sasuke replied.

It still sounded so strange...

 **… _._**

 **Wednesday, June 6, 2018, 1:15 pm**

 **Leaf General Hospital- Room 306**

 **...**

"Wow, Hina!" Naruto exclaimed. "For someone who was in a coma, you sure look better than I expected!"

Hinata giggled behind her hand at Naruto's comment which was rewarded by a short jab in his ribs from his pregnant wife Ino.

"You shouldn't say a thing like that! She just had twins!" Ino hissed but her logic seemed lost on her new husband.

"I didn't mean she looked bad!"

"Can you two keep your voices down." Tenten interjected.

The brunette slid open the already ajar hospital door with her foot and gave Naruto and Ino a disapproving look. In her arms, she held a tray piled high with different fruits, all of which she would likely force Hinata to eat. Mentally Hinata groaned, Neji's overprotectiveness was rubbing off on her best friend a little too much. She should be working at the dojo, not looking after her! The summer was a very busy time since kids weren't in school and there was a day camp to run. However, no matter how many times Hinata reminded Tenten of her responsibility the woman would only shrug and say that Lee and Gai had everything under control. Somehow Hinata found that hard to believe.

"Yes, Mrs. Neji." Ino teased and playfully stuck her tongue out at the brunette.

Tenten rolled her eyes and tried to repress a smile at her former roommate's actions. She set the tray of food down on the now cleared bedside table and sat on the edge of the hospital bed.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

Hinata shifted in her bed a bit to get more comfortable. If she were being honest she would tell them that she felt like she'd been run over by a truck. Her breasts were extremely sore from disuse and it hurt to go to the bathroom. All those things and more were physically bothering her but telling her friends that would only make them worry about her more.

"I'm fine." Hinata answered softly and prayed that the others believed her. The looks on their faces weren't very convinced but they let the comment slide.

"Well if you're feeling fine you should eat something," Tenten advised and rolled her eyes at Hinata's grimace. "Don't give me that look. The more you eat, the faster you'll get better."

"That doesn't seem like sound medical advice." Ino snickered, Tenten flashed her a glare before turning back to Hinata.

"Don't listen to Ino. Just eat."

"Ten-"

 _Knock Knock_

Two sharp raps against the open door frame of the hospital room drew all of their attention back to the door. There stood Tsunade with a clipboard in her hand and a nurse at her side with a collapsed wheelchair. The busty woman's face was bright as she smiled at the room's occupants causing Hinata's heart to leap in her chest.

"Good afternoon Lady Tsunade." Hinata greeted, dipping her head a bit in her own attempt at a bow from her bed.

"Hello, Hinata! It's good to see you're now staying awake on a constant basis." The blonde said as she approached the hospital bed. "It's been seventy-two hours since your last dose of medicine. I think it's time to feed."

"Feed?" Hinata asked, slightly perplexed since she already had a mountain of fruit courtesy of Tenten. Tsunade only smiled as shook her head at her patient's anxiety.

"Its time to meet the twins Hinata. Are you ready?"

 **….**

 **Wednesday, June 6, 2018, 1:25 pm**

 **Leaf General Hospital- NICU**

 **...**

They were impossibly small, even smaller than he thought they were when they were cloistered inside of their glass boxes. The nurse placed one of the newborns in his arms and his own heart stopped beating. The baby's head rested against his chest and he worried that perhaps the scrubs he was wearing were too rough. He could feel the tiny heartbeat fluttering against his chest at a speed that he felt was too fast but the nurses had assured him was normal. The feeling was petrifying and astounding at the same time. How was it possible that such a small thing could pull such unfamiliar emotions out of him with only a touch?

"Sasuke?" A soft, breathless voice called from the door of the warm, sterilized room.

He looked up to see Hinata in a wheelchair with a nurse pushing her forward. Her face was markedly paler and her dark hair hung limply around her shoulder but Sasuke couldn't help but feel relieved at the sight of her. She smiled brightly at him, her eyes lighting up as she did so and a little bit of color returned to her face.

"Hinata." He said as the nurse carefully wheeled the Hyuuga up to his side and left the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired." She said weakly and Sasuke shook his head.

"You've been in bed for six days. Three of those you did nothing but sleep." He said flatly and Hinata let out a short chuckle at his teasing.

The baby boy in his arms began to squirm a bit and Sasuke felt slightly put out. Despite the separation, his son already recognized his mother's presence. Even his other son was squirming in his carrier at the sound of Hinata's laugh. Instinctively Hinata opened her arms and Sasuke placed the newborn into her embrace. The Hyuuga let out an audible sigh of relief at having her son in her arms and any negative feelings Sasuke had were washed away. Seeing her this content, this happy, it made the last few days worth it. He doubted that he would ever be able to make her happier than she was at this moment.

His other son was starting to fuss a bit more audibly in his carrier so Sasuke picked him up as well. Immediately the newborn settled down against his chest and that same surge of emotion from earlier sprang forth. Hinata cupped the cheek of the little boy she was holding, a small satisfied smile on her face.

"I told you they were boys." She said as she caressed her son.

Sasuke smirked, she _had_ been right after all. Although that came with its own set of issues. Once they were allowed to leave the hospital the Uchiha clan was going to pounce. Not only were they the first twins born in nearly a century but they were boys. He'd heard of the countless, pointless ceremonies his mother had to endure when Itachi was born and he didn't envy Hinata's fate. It didn't help that there hadn't been many children born to the Uchiha clan over the years so the elders were itching to do something big.

"They look like you." Hinata said softly and the Uchiha wrinkled his nose.

The twins didn't look like much of anything to him. They were just red, wrinkly beings that had somehow managed to obtain his undivided affection just by existing. He peered down at the baby he was holding and smoothed down some of the black tufts of hair on his head. He hoped that they looked nothing like him. Life would be much easier for them if they didn't have hordes of fangirls clinging to them.

"Ah, this is a sight I've been wanting to see." Tsunade said from the doorway with a smile on her face. "With any luck, in a week or two, you can even go home."

The blonde doctor then entered the room and began to instruct the new mother on how to breastfeed the twins which proved to be a bit difficult. They both had difficulty latching on but Tsunade assured them that it was normal for premature babies. With a few more attempts they would take like a fish to water. After she debriefed them on the full status on the twins and what was going to happen from this point she left them to their own devices. Sasuke was grateful that Tsunade wasn't the lingering type. The more time he got to spend alone with Hinata and the twins, the better. There would only be so many instances like this until their family and friends started to swarm.

In the back of his mind, he remembered Neji's request three days ago for the names of the twins. He still hadn't given the Hyuuga an answer yet but the guy didn't pester him for it. The sleeping baby he was holding snuggled into the warmth of his chest and once more Sasuke was taken aback by the strength of his son's fluttering heartbeat.

'You are a warmth leech like your mother.' He thought and looked over to the woman in question.

He could tell she was fighting her own fatigue. This was the first time she'd gotten to see the twins and was doing whatever she could to stay conscious. It was admirable in her own stubborn way. Slowly he stood up and placed his sleeping son back into his carrier. The baby fussed a bit, irritated by the absence of his father's warmth but quickly settled back down. He then removed the other boy from Hinata's weary arms and placed him next to his brother.

Hinata's eyes lost a bit of their light at his removal and it made him feel guilty to see her that way. He pushed the glass carrier closer to Hinata where she could see both of her sons better. It wasn't the same as holding them but it seemed to appease her for now. He took a seat next to her and she grabbed his hand. Neither one of them looked at each other, they were too transfixed by the sleeping babies in front of them.

"I like the name Hajime." Hinata said, breaking the silence between them. She pointed to the newborn on the right as she said it and Sasuke couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"The beginning...hmmm."

Hinata nodded her head pensively and turned her gaze to her other son. She took a bit longer this time but the Uchiha liked watching her think. He enjoyed the way her brows knitted together and the way she would bite her bottom lip. When she pushed some of her errant hair behind her ear he was once more hit with the fact that he almost didn't get to see that nervous habit again. He had been so close to never seeing her again.

"Greatness." She whispered finally with an absolute nod of her head. "Hiroto."

"Hajime Uchiha. Hiroto Uchiha." Sasuke said and the names rolled off his tongue easily. Hinata smiled as he said their names and a blush of pride spread over her cheeks.

"Nice to meet you Haji, Hiro." Hinata said softly, her finger pressed against the side of the glass. "I'm your mother and you don't know me very well but I love you very very much."

Sasuke smiled to himself as Hinata continued to have a nonsensical conversation with their sleeping children. It was almost as if she'd gotten a second wind of energy. She told them of their father's love of tomatoes and her own love of sweets. She promised them tales of their countless aunts and uncles and of all the fun they would have together when they were finally able to meet. The Uchiha couldn't help but get lost in the sound of her voice, it's soft quality lulling him to sleep.

"Hinata..." He started and he felt her small warm hand squeeze his hand in response. "Don't leave me."

He wasn't sure why he said that. Perhaps it was the fatigue finally getting the upper hand. Or maybe deep down he knew that this woman was just too good for him. There was a short pause but he knew that the Hyuuga had been staring at him intently. She leaned over and placed a soft kiss on both of his cheeks before placing one on his lips. The warmth that radiated within him when she kissed him was so different than before. Before there was nothing but hunger, a need to meld into one another. Now there was comfort and security. He wanted to kiss her again but she'd already leaned away.

"I'll never leave you Uchiha Sasuke."

 **To be continued...**

 **D is for High Society**

 _Manners wasn't something she lacked but she had no idea how to act when it came to the upper class..._


	4. D is for High Society

**CCNote** **: Thanks so much ya'll for the continued support. This chapter was a fun one to write so I hope you like it.**

 _ **Important**_ **: This story is not linear. It dips in and out of the lives of all of the characters/storylines from SwtE. So in order to not be confused please pay attention to date, time, and location stamps. It will help you keep things in order.**

 **As always, please overlook my mistakes and please leave a review! Enjoy!**

 **D is for High Society**

 **Friday, February 2, 2019, 12:13 pm**

 **Hokage Mansion- West Wing Master Bedroom**

 **….**

"What do you think of this one?" Ino asked as she turned from one side to the other. "I think this shade of blue looks nice on me don't you?"

The newlywed Uzumaki had put on a powder blue wrap dress that came down conservatively just below her knees. The neckline was high enough not to draw attention to her breasts and her shoulders were covered of course. The world would explode if she _dared_ to show her shoulders. She turned to her inspector, eagerly awaiting his expert opinion.

"Bllllllsgghhgah!" The six-month-old said, drool spilling down his chin and onto his bib.

"Well, it _is_ a bit much for a playdate but you don't want me to embarrass you in front of the other moms again right?"

The little boy babbled contently in his bouncer and reached out his chubby hands to grab one the brightly colored toys that were dangling in front of him. Ino smiled and put her hands on her hips.

"I asked you a question, mister! You should pay attention!" Ino huffed playfully as she walked over to her son.

At six months old Ito Uzumaki was the liveliest baby she'd ever encountered. He was constantly getting into things even though he was barely mobile. If there was something within reach for him to put in his mouth it immediately found a home there. The only time Ino was certain he wasn't poisoning himself was when he was strapped down by his bouncer or in her arms. He certainly liked to 'talk' more than any of the other babies she'd encountered over the last few months which amused the Uzumaki family to no end. Ino especially took immense joy in having private little conversations like these with her son even though she knew she looked silly. He was quickly becoming her best friend now that her life was much more limited than before.

"Bllllgggghhhhhhhssss!" Ito cheered and bounced up and down in his chair as Ino wiggled the toys in front of his nose.

"Itoooooooo." Ino cooed. "You have to help mommy get ready."

Ito's pale blue eyes were transfixed by the toy wiggling in front of him. Ino stopped moving the toy and small hands immediately took hold of it. Not one to let a good opportunity go to waste, Ito shoved as much of the plushie as he could into his mouth and drooled all over it. Ino's smile grew wider at her son's antics and she gently ruffled his blonde hair.

"Are you ready to go Mrs. Uzumaki?" An elderly servant asked from the doorway of her master bedroom.

"Oh no! Just a minute!" Ino replied and quickly pulled Ito out of his bouncer. He was still wearing his yellow and green dinosaur onesie and was absolutely not ready to go anywhere near the lions' den they were slated to attend.

"I can help you if you'd like." The old woman suggested warmly as she watched Ino bounce around the room.

The blonde woman flashed the servant a smile and placed her squirming baby on the bed.

"It's no problem! It will only take a minute!" Ino said and started removing the onesie from Ito who kicked his little legs mischievously.

The next thing Ino knew she had baby vomit down the front of her dress and a little boy who couldn't be happier with his handiwork. The maid quickly pulled several napkins out of her apron and tried to clean her mistress up but Ino waved her away.

"I didn't want to wear something stuffy like this anyway. Thanks, Ito." Ino said and pulled the dress over her head.

Sure the other mothers would be dressed to the nines, all ready for the off chance they may be photographed but Ino still hadn't gotten the hang of that yet. It didn't feel real anyway to put on airs. Part of her wanted to fit in with the advisors' wives but a stronger part of her wanted to make them choke on their hair extensions. Today, as she pulled on one of her favorite purple t-shirts, it felt as though the more petty side of her just might win out.

 **…..**

 **Friday, February 2, 2019, 1:56 pm**

 **Shimura Residence**

… **..**

To her right and left, silent bodyguards stood ready to pounce at a moment's notice. It was weird always having them around but not bad. They were helpful in their own stoic way. There was always an extra set of hands to help dispose of a dirty diaper and they served as excellent lookouts when it came time for her to feed Ito. Her two bodyguards were not the most talkative, in fact, she didn't even know their names, but she appreciated having them around. Maybe if things went south today they could whisk her and Ito out of the house.

They were supposed to be protecting them right? If she had to try another 'healthy' smoothie she might just throw up. They should protect her from that kind of disastrous outcome, right? Ino shook her head of her ridiculous thoughts, took a deep breath, and put her finger out to ring the doorbell. That immaculate doorbell that wasn't good enough to have a regular ding dong. No, it had its own special little ring that made Ino want to egg the house when everyone was asleep. She hesitated and pulled her finger back to look down at Ito in her front facing chest carrier.

"Ya know." She said. "If you would just have a tantrum we wouldn't have to go. I'll give you extra puffs if you do."

Ito's little legs swung out happily and his lively babbles continued, completely oblivious to his mother's enticing bribe. His mother sighed and patted some of his errant blonde hair down. The hair immediately sprang back up into place despite her best efforts to make him look presentable. It appeared as though all of his father's unruly genes wanted to show themselves within Ito at the same time. She didn't mind it too much though. Naruto was very handsome in her own biased opinion and at least Ito had inherited her eyes.

The littlest Uzumaki continued to babble happily on her chest so she had no choice but to ring the doorbell. Mentally Ino cursed her son's fair temperament. The Uchiha twins knew where to draw the line when it came to interacting with these kinds of people. Whereas the twins would begin to cry if someone so much as looked at them wrong, Ito took all attention as a good thing and had no problem being around strangers.

Usually, she could count on the either Hajime or Hiroto pitching a fit and drawing them out early from these 'mommy and me' get-togethers but alas she was not going to be so lucky today. Hiroto had caught a cold and Sasuke refused to allow the boys or Hinata to leave their penthouse until his son had a clean bill of health. The Uchiha swore up and down that it was because the twins were exposed to the filthy children of other people that one of them had fallen ill. Ino sighed and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Unless the Uchiha penthouse caught on fire it was unlikely that she'd see Hinata for another week. When the door was answered by a rather tipsy housewife Ino smiled brightly but mentally cursed Sasuke and his overprotectiveness. If only Ito had been around Hiroto for just a couple of hours longer then maybe she would have a legitimate excuse as well.

"Ino!" Ayame Shimura greeted cheerfully, a glass half full of white wine in her hand. She leaned in and kissed the air around both of the blonde's cheeks and gave her a smug grin. "You're late as always. Everyone has been waiting."

"Well you know Ito. He always has the final say on my wardrobe decisions." Ino said with a laugh that died halfway through as the brunette skeptically looked her up and down.

"I can see that..." The woman said slowly, the judgment evident in her voice.

The blue dress she had intended to wear was now soaking in vinegar and was replaced with her favorite purple t-shirt and a pair of light washed blue jeans. Sure she could have changed into another one of the many dresses she'd acquired over the last year but she felt much more comfortable this way. In stark contrast, Ayame was dressed rather elegantly in a cream-colored day dress and her brown hair pulled up into a perfectly coiffed chignon. There was not a hair out of place or a wrinkle in sight and Ino knew without a doubt that the other women in attendance would be just as perfect.

"Well, it can't be helped I guess." Ayame sighed and stepped aside to allow Ino to enter the house.

When the woman's back was turned Ino stuck out her tongue.

'Snooty bitch.' She thought in her head.

On her chest, Ito babbled happily as though he were able to read his mother's petty thoughts and the guards masked their laughter with well-timed coughs. Ino smirked and patted the top of Ito's head innocently when Ayame gave their group a suspicious backward glance. This would only be for a couple of hours. She could make it through this without Hinata, right?

"I heard that he's been having relations with his secretary." A nasal voice whispered and several other voices gasped at the information.

"No, you got it all wrong. It's one of his shareholders."

"Even worse!"

Ino rolled her eyes but slapped on a quick smile just as they turned the corner into the immaculately clean kitchen. The Uzumaki woman was positive that Ayame never actually cooked in the kitchen. It was just a nice place for her to show off her latest appliances and keep her wine. The other women all looked at her arrival with varying degrees of pity and distaste. She was nothing like them. She wasn't the daughter of some oil tycoon or the heir to a vast fortune.

She was Ino Yamanaka, daughter of a flower shop owner who could barely afford to keep the heat on in the winter. A random nobody who had managed to get the attention of the future Hokage and ensnare him into marriage by getting pregnant. She was a harlot, a gold digger and Naruto was a fool for not catching onto her schemes sooner. Instead, he'd married her. The shame! He should have just given her hush money like most respectable men do when they had a dirty secret they needed to keep in the closet.

Ino smiled kindly to one of her bodyguards as they helped her unstrap Ito from her chest. She knew _everything_ these women said about her behind her back. How they secretly thought she was unfit to be the future first lady. How it was so 'lucky' Ito wasn't going to be considered a bastard. Every hurtful tale they could spin they spun. The yarns that told of her dastardly plot to trap the current Hokage's only son became more fanciful and more cunning than she could have ever imagined possible. In a way, she was flattered. The women gave her way too much credit. If only they knew that Ito hadn't been apart of some master plan or how happy Naruto had been when he found out he was going to be a dad...

"Would you like some wine Mrs. Uzumaki?" A servant asked but Ino shook her head.

"No thank you. Water will be fine for now." She said absently as she watched one of the other servants take Ito away to play with the other children in the garden. Behind her, the other women giggled, yet again alerting her to the fact that she was the oddball of the group.

"Still breastfeeding?" Ayame asked as one of the servants refilled her wine glass.

"It's a good bonding experience for Ito and me and the doctors say it's good for his development." Ino replied although she was aware that she sounded like a broken record.

"I heard that breastfeeding will make your tits saggy." A little blonde woman named Rei said and the two women sitting on either side of her giggled. "I know of a good surgeon who can fix you right up whenever you decide to stop...milking? Feeding? Whatever, just remind me before you leave and I'll give you his card."

"You really should take her up on the offer." Ayame said with a sly smile. "If you don't stay in shape who _knows_ what will happen."

"She's right." One of the other mothers piped up after she took a long swig from her wine glass. "After you have the baby men tend to lose interest."

Ino's eyes widened as all of the women nodded in some sort of sage-like agreement. They could not be serious? Her father and mother had been married for over twenty-seven years and they still looked at each other like the sun shone out of the other person's ass.

"Just make sure you get your surgery before he starts looking around for a second wife." A redhead teased and Ayame placed a hand over her heart in mock offense.

"Now Aya, that's an insult to second wives everywhere. I take personal offense!"

Ino laughed along with the group but felt a little sick as she did so. Naruto wasn't the type to go sneaking around looking for an upgrade. He wasn't like the husbands of these women...

"Now ladies, enough about Ino's saggy breasts. What were you gossiping about earlier when we walking in?" Ayame asked, never one to be left out of the loop when it came to gossip.

The other women all exchanged awkward looks until Rei spoke up. She twirled a lock of her curly blonde hair between her perfect manicure fingers.

"Well..." She began, her voice dropping low. "You know how Gaara Sabaku was supposed to be pursuing Hinata right?"

Ino stiffened as the other women nodded their heads and sipped their wine. They hung onto every word as though they had not just been discussing this subject only a few moments earlier.

"I heard that he and one of his shareholders have been spending a considerable amount of time together recently. It is just terrible."

The group gasped and Ino couldn't help but feel a little lost. Unless they were caught fucking she really didn't understand why the women were acting so scandalized.

"So?" Ino said and Ayame raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't see the problem."

"Oh dear." Ayame tsked and the other women shook their heads.

"What?"

"You really don't understand do you?"

Ayame reached across the counter and patronizingly patted Ino's hand. The Uzumaki had to fight the urge to smack her hand away.

"I'll explain it simply." She said. "When a man is spending more time with his 'secretary' or his 'shareholders' it usually means he's fucking someone."

"Ayame language!" One of the moms chided playfully and the woman only rolled her eyes.

"What? It's true." She said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Hinata certainly dodged a bullet with that one I guess but all men give in to temptations at some point. I wonder how long it's been going on."

"I want to know who she is."

The women continued gossiping and hypothesizing. She could already see the web they were weaving for whoever Garaa was 'supposedly' seeing. These women clearly had nothing better to do with their time. With that thought in mind, she sighed and placed her glass down on the counter. She should be trying harder to make these women like her. Naruto would need to have someone influential by his side when he took power. As of right now, she was useless to him.

"Madame Ayame come quick!" A panicked servant called from the garden.

The women stopped their conversation immediately and all filed out the kitchen door to the garden. The outdoor area was just as painfully immaculate as the inside. Small shrubs and flower beds had been cultivated just for show and not for the health of the plants which really ground Ino's gears. Plants that should be in semi-shade most of the day were getting full sun while naturally, acidic rose bushes were sucking the nutrients dry from their neighbors. Ayame paid a small fortune upkeeping the garden but she would have been better off flushing her money down the toilet in Ino's honest opinion. The Uzumaki woman was the last to make it outside where the others were huddled and causing a commotion.

"What ha-" Ino started to say but her face turned pale as she finally saw what everyone was looking at.

One of Ayame's flowerbeds was utterly destroyed. Violets had been pulled up by their roots. Peonies were beheaded. There were patches of grass that had also been dug up, the worms underneath now visible. The other mothers were trying to scoop up their own children from the muck but the damage had already been done. Standing in the center of the damaged flowerbed was one of the bodyguards holding a very happy and very dirty Ito. In one of the boy's hands, he held a fistful of dirt and in the other the decapitated remains of a pink peony. When he saw his mother he waved his prizes and wiggled in the bodyguard's arms. Swiftly she slipped past the small circle of moms and took Ito away from his guard.

" _You_!" Ayame hissed as she balanced her dirty daughter on her hip. The toddler was sucking her thumb with tears already brewing in her eyes. "Your child destroyed my flower bed."

This time Ino couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"Ito is only a baby. He couldn't do all of this." The Uzumaki woman replied incredulously.

"Mina says that he did it." Rei said as she tried to dust dirt out of her three-year-olds hair. No longer was she the slightly tipsy mom offering boob jobs and gossip. She looked at Ino and Ito as though they were the dirt she was knocking off her daughter. "Everyone knows that common people don't train their children well enough. If he was older he would have done more damage."

"Ito can barely crawl, he didn't do this." Ino replied in as even a voice as she could.

"Nori." Ayame cooed to her daughter clutching the edge of her dress. "Who did this baby?"

The little girl's tear-streaked looked up at her mother and her bottom lip quivered. Ayame pulled the little girl's hands off of her dress and turned her in the direction of the Uzumaki.

"That boy did it didn't he?"

"This is absolutely ridiculous." Ino laughed and shook her head.

Who the hell asks a toddler to tell the truth? Sure Ito was covered in dirt and happy about it but that didn't mean he made this entire mess. He had only just started crawling. How could he have done something like this? Unfortunately, logic was lost among the other mothers as they fretted over their own children and threw the Uzumakis shifty glances. It was in that moment that she realizes these women would choose the word of an empty boot than to ever side with her. She was the _other._ An outsider. She was the dirt from the garden that had somehow managed to get tracked into the house.

'Well.' Ino snorted and shifted Ito to a more comfortable position on her hip. 'I know when I'm not wanted.'

She then signaled for the bodyguards to leave and started to remove herself from the angry flock of hens around her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ayame hissed and Ino looked blankly at her. Completely unbothered by the woman's pretentiously outraged tone.

"I'm leaving."

"You're not even going to apologize for this mess? Do you know how much this cost?!"

"No, and quite frankly I don't care. I do not want to spend another minute in the company of women who have had so much wine they can't think logically. It's only two in the afternoon."

The other women gasped at the slight and Ayame placed a hand dramatically over her heart

"Well, I never!" She shrieked. "You do not want to make an enemy out of me _Yamanaka_."

"It's Uzumaki and it's not like you were ever my 'friend' to begin with. I'll cut my losses now and see where that gets me." Ino replied with a shrug and let an outraged Ayame in her wake.

The other mothers whisper furiously to each other at her slight against Ayame. They called her common and unruly. Ungrateful and untrained. Ino ignored all of them and walked back to the immaculately decorated house. She didn't even care that she'd tracked the mud from the garden into the house. When she walked through the front door her phone began to ring loudly in her pocket. One of the bodyguards scooped Ito from her arms, freeing her up to get out her phone. She smiled as she noticed the caller id and swiped to accept the call.

"Hello?"

"Naruto, you're supposed to be working." Ino said, biting her lower lip as the voice on the other end of the phone laughed.

"I know I know but all this paperwork is boring! Hey, put Ito on the phone."

Ino shook her head but hovered the phone near her baby's face. The little Uzumaki was too preoccupied trying to smear the dirt from his fingers onto the front of his bodyguard to care about the person on the phone. That didn't bother his father who was cooing nonsensical phrases into the phone in an attempt to get Ito to talk. Ino smirked at Naruto's antics but kept the phone steady. No matter how bad her day was going, whether he knew it or not, Naruto always managed to swoop in and make it better.

 **…..**

 **Friday, February 2, 2019, 7:20 pm**

 **Hokage Mansion- West Wing Nursery**

 **….**

Ino sighed as she watched Naruto put Ito in his crib for the night. As soon as the man got home he'd had his son wrapped around his finger. It was nonstop play time which led Ino to seriously wonder how the hell Naruto had so much energy.

"You're spoiling him." Ino chided softly from the doorway and her husband looked up at her with a lopsided grin.

"Is that a bad thing?" He asked.

"Hmmm."

With a few short strides, he left the crib and wrapped his arms around her waist instead. Ino playfully slapped his chest and tried to wiggle away but he was determined to keep her in his hold.

"Are you jealous?" He whispered in her ear. "Do I not spoil you enough as well?"

The blonde woman pressed her lips into a tight line, trying her best not to smile when his breath tickled her neck. Naruto pushed her a bit further out of the doorway and closed the door to Ito's nursery with his foot. Once the door was shut warm lips pressed against her cheek. Kisses were showered from her jaw to her neck as he pulled her body closer to him. Ino giggled softly under his ministrations which only egged him on further. He backed her up against the opposite wall and began tugging at the edge of her shirt. He pouted when she did not give into his nonverbal request for its removal but that only made her smile.

"Naruto." She whispered, pushing him away a bit much to his distaste. "When my boobs become saggy will you still find me attractive?"

"That's a weird question but yes. They will be even more fun to play with." He replied in a low voice and a suggestive wiggle of his eyes brows. He then grabbed her hips and closed the distance between them again.

"What about when I'm old and ugly." She asked between fervent kisses.

"I will be older and probably uglier so I will not know the difference." Naruto snickered as he placed a short peck on her lips. His eager fingers moved underneath her shirt and pushed the material higher up her torso.

"You promise not to take a second wife?" She asked and at that question Naruto paused.

Blue eyes stared down sternly into her own and his wandering fingers stopped their exploration.

"You went to another 'playdate' didn't you." He whispered and Ino nodded her head stiffly. "You know you don't have to go to those things."

"I know but...its important that I'm of use to you. Everyone has told me how important it is to make strong ties with the diplomat and advisor wives. I just-"

Her words stolen by Naruto's lips on hers. It was short and sweet but was enough to make her forget what she wanted to say when he pulled away.

"You are already of use to me." He said softly. "You make me happy. You gave me a son. You agreed to be my wife for reasons I'll never understand."

"Naruto, I'm not like the other women though. My family doesn't have any money or power or influence. I can't help you with anything. I-" she protested but he kissed her again.

"Ino. You forget that my own mother was shunned when she first married my dad. She was a foreign woman from a disgraced and nearly extinct clan. She and I were both outcasts at those 'playdate' things and dinner parties you keep dragging yourself to. Sure, eventually the women came around but at what cost? I don't want you to have to go through that as well. And besides-" Naruto said, taking her hand in his and leading her down the hall towards their bedroom. "I'd rather you stay locked in here. Ready and waiting for me to play when I get home."

"Keeping your wife locked in the house?" Ino teased. "You're starting to sound like Sasuke."

Naruto smirked and opened their bedroom door.

"The bastard has a few good ideas."

 _Ring ring ring ring ring_

"Waaaaahhhhhhhhhh!"

Both Uzumaki's sighed as the hope of 'playtime' was dashed. Ino pulled her ringing phone out of her pocket while Naruto headed back to the nursery to soothe their son back to sleep. The blonde woman cocked her head to the side as she stared at the unfamiliar number on her caller id. She accepted the call hesitantly, not many people had her number...

"Hello?" A breathless voice on the other end of the phone asked. "Did I call the right number? Hello?"

"This is Ino Uzumaki. Who is this?"

"Oh goody, I got it right!" The voice said cheerily. "I'm Mitsuki Saitama."

"Mitsuki Saitama?" Ino repeated as she walked down the hall in the direction of the staircase. She ran into so many women every day it was hard to keep all of their names straight. This one, in particular, wasn't ringing any bells.

"Yes. My husband is the primary diplomat from the Mizukage to the Hokage." Mitsuki clarified and Ino nodded her head even though she knew the woman couldn't see her. She made her way towards the living room and sank into one of the plush couches. "I know it's kind of sudden to call you like this but I just had to clear some things up. Today was an absolute trainwreck."

"Tell me about it." Ino mumbled sarcastically and the woman on the other end of the phone laughed.

"Well I know that Ayame and her followers can be a bit much but today they really crossed the line. My daughter is best friends with Ayame's oldest stepdaughter and she saw the whole thing go down with the garden."

Ino sat upright on the couch, her interest now peeked, and Mitsuki was not one to hold back any information. Apparently, Mitsuki's daughter Nana, was with Ayame's older stepchildren Oto and Nami when the flower bed had been destroyed. The children had apparently been digging in the flower bed on their own for most of the time during the playdate and were burying some of Ayame's jewelry into the dirt. They'd recruited to help of the toddlers as well since the only way to keep them from looking suspicious was to look like they were playing with the younger kids. It was only when one of the servants finally saw all of the children playing in the dirt that their plan was foiled.

According to Nana, Oto and Nami blamed their stepmother for ruining their father's first marriage and pulled little pranks like this all the time in hopes to foist Ayame out of their house. It wasn't working but they were only eight and nine years old so doing this kind of thing made sense to them. Ino couldn't help but feel furious as Mitsuki continued to talk. Ayame had essentially used Ito as a scapegoat to save face in front of all the other mothers. It wasn't her baby that was untrained but Ayame's stepchildren.

"I can't believe this!" Ino hissed.

"I know! I'm sure all the other moms who brought older kids have gotten some variation of what I just told you by now but I doubt that they will say anything."

"But it was obviously not Ito's fault when it happened. Everyone just stood by and let her accuse a baby."

"I know." Mitsuki sighed in agreement. "But Ayame holds a lot of influence of the other mothers and her husband Danzo is very powerful. Almost as powerful as the Hokage himself. Its been pretty toxic the last few years but no one really says anything. It's more peaceful this way."

"Peace my ass." Ino snorted.

Mitsuki laughed at her crude joke and continued to prattle on about some of the other mishaps that had befallen other mothers that Ayame deemed unworthy of association. Suddenly Ino was brought back to her previous conversation with Naruto. He didn't think she needed to subject herself to the likes of Ayame and perhaps he was right. She might be an outsider now but with a little more work she could gain her own sway among the other mothers. At least among those who didn't seem to agree fully with whatever Ayame did. There had to be a way to gain influence somehow.

"Hey Mitsuki," Ino started, interrupting Mitsuki mid-sentence. "How about we get together and have lunch sometime next week?"

"Oh, that would be nice!" Mitsuki squealed. "I know of this really good Italian place where they make the pasta in-house and-"

Mitsuki continued to prattle on excitedly but Ino couldn't give her words much focus. How could she when a certain aspiring Hokage had just peered his head around the corner? He grinned mischievously at her, his blue eyes bright with something that was undoubtedly fun and more than a bit naughty.

"Mitsuki...I'm going to have to call you back." Ino said distractedly, barely registering Mitsuki's enthusiastic farewell.

When she hung up the phone. Naruto confidently came around the corner wearing nothing but a smile. Ino's face immediately flushed red at his boldness but she couldn't look away. All she could do was pray that none of the servants walked in to see their master in such a state of undress.

"Ito is asleep again." He said, his voice husky and low as he approached the couch. "Your phone call is over."

He stopped walking and crouched down in front of her. His hands gripped the back of her knees and he pulled her legs forward so that they rested on his shoulders. His blue eyes never tore away from hers and it sent shivers down her spine.

"Let's play."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **E is for Girlfriend**

 _Itachi was...embarrassing at times, but even Sasuke had to admit that the man had a way with words. He had nearly all of the women in attendance hanging onto to his every word as though it were gold..._


	5. E is for Girlfriend

**CCNote** **: Double post cuz I love ya. This chapter isn't SasuHina but the next chapter is!**

 _ **Important:**_ **This story is not linear. It dips in and out of the lives of all of the characters/storylines from SwtE. So in order to not to be confused please pay attention to date, time, and location stamps. It will help you keep things in order.**

 **As always please leave a review. I understand that interest in the sequel is not that high but for those of you reading I really appreciate it! Enjoy!**

 **E is for Girlfriend**

 **Sunday, June 3, 2018, 8:26 am**

 **Makinohara- Uchiha Property**

 **….**

When she awoke the next morning the first thing she noticed was the silence. The beach house was not that big and its walls were thin. Usually, she could hear the sounds of Itachi getting ready in the morning but on this day there was nothing. Groggily she rubbed the remnants of a fitful sleep out of her eyes and rolled over to face her bedroom window. Outside the sun was already shining brightly against a clear blue sky. The happiness that weather like this brought only taunted her. Her mouth felt fuzzy and her stomach twisted itself in knots with the guilt and fear that had plagued her all night. Lying there in her bed she strained her ears to detect some sort of activity but again came up empty.

With a sigh of defeat, she rose from her bed and made her way to the bathroom across the hall. There she completed her morning ritual of brushing her teeth and washing her face. Briefly, she contemplated putting on regular clothes but decided she didn't want to leave the house. A too big t-shirt and shorts would be more than sufficient attire to wallow in. She stared in the mirror at her messy brown hair and ran her fingers through it to smooth down the wild locks a bit. That proved to be a useless endeavor. With a shrug of her shoulders, she left the bathroom and moved to the bedroom door right next to hers.

'Itachi.' She thought as she stared at the chipped white paint on the door.

Last night Itachi had slipped away and never gave her a chance to figure out what was going on with him. He'd simply walked away and he didn't look back once. Seeing his back to her hurt more than she thought it would. It was the physical manifestation of him shutting her out and it meant that he didn't trust her. At least...not truly. He didn't trust her with his secrets and he didn't trust her with his problems.

Part of her wanted to be angry with him. All of this, this closeness that they shared, it was all a lie. This world that that he had created that consisted of just the two of them was not real. While he got to see her frustrated or sad she only got his good side, the side he wished for her to see. Her Chi was not really her Chi. There were parts of him that were ugly and sick and he would rather she never be exposed to that side of himself. The more she thought about it the angrier she became. All night she tossed and turned in her bed but she couldn't sleep. She was too busy listening out for the sound of his cough. That wet cough filled with blood.

Taking a step forward Hanabi knocked on the door but Itachi didn't answer. She knocked again but was still met with silence. Her brow furrowed. Itachi was always up with the sun. There was no way he'd sleep in unless something was wrong. The idea of Itachi suffering alone in his room washed away her previous anger and she reached frantically for the doorknob. With a simple twist, the door was open but the room itself was empty. His bed was made and his suitcases were stacked neatly against the wall. Nothing appeared out of place but somehow that didn't settle the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Where the hell was Itachi? She turned to leave the room but something caught her eye.

There was a desk right next to the door, old and well used. It was free of any clutter save for a crumpled brown paper bag. Hanabi bit her bottom lip as she regarded the bag. It was just a bag but then again it _wasn't_. She moved towards the bag but stopped when she heard the faint sound of water running on the other side of the house. That sound meant that she was not alone.

Quickly she ran towards the living room and was surprised to see that the sliding glass doors that compromised the entirety of the back wall had already been removed. On the deck Itachi was standing in front of the largest metal washbin she'd ever seen and held a water hose over it to fill it up. He heard her heavy footsteps on the creaky hardwood and he turned around, a warm smile on his face.

"My firecracker has finally woken up. Are you ready to work?" He said and turned back to the wash bin.

Hanabi stepped out onto the deck, the churning in her stomach more pronounced as she studied his face. He looked as he always did. He stood straight and tall with his shoulders squared back like he always did. His eyes were calm like they always were. His skin wasn't paler than normal and he didn't sound like he was sick. Last night hadn't been a fluke though. She had held his shaking body in her arms and washed his blood off of her skin. Yet here he was standing over a metal washbin as though none of that had ever happened. She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

'Itachi.' She decided. 'Is a liar.'

"Are you trying to set me on fire?" Itachi asked with a twitch of amusement on his lips.

"Last night. What happened?" She asked firmly.

"I slept well." He replied as he set the hose down into the washbin and crouched to rifle through a plastic bag at his feet. "Did you?"

"You know what I'm asking about."

"No. I'm afraid I don't."

Hanabi crouched down on the other side of the washbin and frowned at the Uchiha's evasion. He pulled out a plastic container of white powder and poured half of it into the washbin. Then he grabbed another box that she recognized to be laundry detergent and poured that in as well. The washbin slowly began to bubble up with the concoction.

"Something is wrong with you." She grumbled, her worn out collar exposed her shoulder but she didn't bother pulling it back up.

Itachi put his hand into the sudsy water and stirred the mixture a bit.

"There is something wrong with everyone." He said simply. "I am no exception to that rule."

Hanabi's brow furrowed. If there was to be an exception to anything it would be Itachi. What was wrong with him? Why was he skirting around the issue? Clearly, he didn't trust her the way she thought he did. He didn't trust her the same way she trusted him.

"Itachi-" she started to say but was met with a stream of water hitting her face. "Hey!"

"It is too early in the morning to look so sad." He said flatly cocking his head slightly to the side. "And besides, you left some toothpaste on your face. Do I need to teach you how to wash your face as well?"

Hanabi blushed and furiously swiped the back of her hand over her mouth to get the leftover toothpaste off. Itachi's dark eyes betrayed no emotion as he shook his head.

"Pathetic." He said and sprayed her with the hose.

The Hyuuga squealed at how cold the water was and all heavy thoughts flew out of her mind. She held her hands out to protect her face but Itachi continued to spray. The water drenched her hair flat and made her shirt stick to her body like a second skin. Blindly she splashed him with the soapy water from the washbin and that finally made him stop. His laugh was small at first, barely a chuckle, but it quickly became louder and heartier. The sound of his laughter was infectious and slowly a mischevious idea sprang into her mind. She began splashing more of the washbin water, taking Itachi off his guard and making him just as wet as she was.

"What in the world is going on here hun?" A curious voice above them asked catching the Hyuuga and Uchiha off guard. "I thought you wanted my bin for washing not playing. At the very least you could have invited me to join I'm hurt!"

Dedira stood before them with his hands on his hips, his long blonde hair catching the small breeze from the ocean. Hanabi looked from the new arrival to Itachi who was completely unfazed by his sudden appearance. Then it clicked. She hadn't heard Itachi because he must have been with Deidra earlier that morning. Knowing that he had been gone and hadn't even told her made her feel a bit miffed.

"I've got breakfast. Kia has the best donuts on this side of the peninsula. You're going to love them."

"Donuts." Hanabi repeated as she pushed some of her wet hair off of her face.

Despite how irritated she was at being kept out of the loop the thought of donuts made her feel better. Her stomach growled with anticipation causing their blonde guest to laugh.

"They're on the counter. Let's go eat!"

Not needing to be told twice Hanabi stood up and started to walk around the washbin but Itachi's hand shot out quickly and grabbed her wrist. She looked down at the Uchiha unsure of why he would impede her from getting breakfast but he refused to look at her. She turned her head towards Deidra who appeared just as confused as she was.

"Go change first." He said and Hanabi huffed. She used her free hand to tug her at her wet shirt.

"Its only water and it's already really hot today." She said indignantly. "It will dry off in no time."

"Hanabi."

He let go of her wrist and focused on refilling the wash bin again. The tone of his voice was much harsher than before and was one he rarely used with her. Narrowing her eyes she turned her nose up at him but gave in to his request.

"Fine whatever." Hanabi she grumbled. "You're being weird."

… **.**

 **Monday, June 4, 2018, 12:11 pm**

 **Ren's**

… **.**

"Do we have to leave again?" Hanabi asked as she pushed some of her uneaten french fries around on her plate. "Can't we just stay here for another week?"

They were currently sitting at their usual booth in the diner which was nearly empty at the moment. On the table, maps were spread out wide along with pamphlets that held bus and train times. Itachi still wasn't telling her where their next stop was but she had a sneaky suspicion that they were heading somewhere cold since he'd asked Deidra to take them to the nearest sporting goods store tomorrow.

"I thought you wanted to travel." Itachi said with a smirk as he looked up from his map. "Don't tell me you're tired already."

"I'm not!" Hanabi snorted before popping three french fries into her mouth. "I'm just saying maybe we should stay for a little bit ya know. The weather's nice. I still want to go to the whirlpools at low tide you told me about. Also-"

"Don't talk with food in your mouth." He reprimanded and Hanabi grimaced at him but finished chewing her food. "You have many reasons you wish to stay. I, on the other hand, have completed what I came here to do. We will leave in three days so do what you want between now and then. Just be back by sunset."

"But..." Hanabi started but her thoughts trailed off.

Itachi had no reason to stay here anymore. She wasn't quite sure what brought him here in the first place but he appeared to have made his peace with it. Sighing she ate another fry and rested her her cheek in the palm of her hand. Perhaps it was for the best that they leave. The next location would likely be more interesting and she wouldn't run the risk of crossing paths with Moegi or Konohamaru. Perhaps...

Hanabi's eyes wandered from their cluttered table to where another pair of dark eyes were staring at them intently. Izumi was supposed to be wiping down the diner's bar but she'd been cleaning the same spot for almost fifteen minutes. She was too busy watching them to even notice. Hanabi glanced suspiciously at Itachi who had raised his mug of coffee to his lips before returning her attention Izumi who was now blushing. An idea started to bubble up in the teenager's mind.

'No reason to stay huh?' She thought to herself.

The Hyuuga cleared her throat and raised her hand to give a small wave to Izumi. The woman stopped pretending to wipe the bar and blinked slowly as though she wasn't quite sure the girl meant to acknowledge her. Hanabi put on her best 'I'm not up to anything' smile and waved the waitress over to their table.

"Is everything okay?" Izumi asked, quickly making her way over to the table. "What can I get for you?"

Itachi looked up from his maps slightly puzzled as to why the waitress had returned to their table. Hanabi bit back a chuckle and did her best to keep a straight face.

"Oh, nothing. I was just wondering, how long have you lived here in this beach town?" She asked innocently and Izumi's shoulders relaxed slightly.

"Oh! Well, most of my life actually. I know everything there is to know about this little place."

"Really? Do you hear that Chi? She knows everything."

Itachi lowered his mug, the suspicious look in his eyes heightening. The Hyuuga looked away from him. If she kept his gaze he would make her lose her nerve.

"Itachi here thinks he's already experienced the island enough but I bet you know the super interesting local stuff he doesn't know about."

"M-maybe..." Izumi said, blushing under the inference. "I could show you both around to some cool landmarks. My shift is over in a little bit."

"Oh, would you really do that for us! That's so nice!" Hanabi cheered and she hoped it sounded genuine. She then gave Itachi her best puppy dog eyes in hopes that he would give in to her request. "Can we go? Please?"

"Hana-" he started to say but stopped when she pulled out her patented lip quiver. When he cut his eyes away from her and sighed she knew she had him.

"Yay! This will be great!" She said and hopped up from the booth. "I'm just going to head to the bathroom right quick. You two talk or something!"

Hanabi then scurried out of the restaurant as though she actually had to use the restroom but that was a lie. Even if this diner's bathroom was the last one on earth she'd piss in a bush before she would ever use that dirty outhouse. Instead of heading towards the back she jogged up the street towards the beach. Itachi was likely to catch on that he'd been ditched rather quickly so she had to put as much distance between them as possible. With any luck, the Uchiha might just find his reason to extend their stay.

 **….**

 **Monday, June 4, 2018, 2:30 pm**

 **Makinohara- Shizunami Beach**

 **…..**

'Gross.' Hanabi thought to herself as she peered into a shallow pool.

Inside of it was a sea urchin, spiky and black with bits of seaweed stuck to it. The other shallow pools held life as well. Starfish, hermit crabs, tiny unlucky fish. It was like an aquarium and every bit as interesting as Itachi had made it out to be. Curiously she reached her hand into the shallow pool to see if the sea urchin felt as sharp as it looked.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A familiar voice said and Hanabi jerked her hand back.

Standing less than a foot away with his hands on his hips and a cheeky smile was Konohamaru. He was wearing bright yellow swim trunks but for once was actually wearing a shirt. For that Hanabi was grateful.

"What's it to you what I do?" She grumbled and the boy shrugged his shoulders.

"Go ahead and touch it. It's gross."

Hanabi looked at the little black creature before turning her head away. It was kind of gross. Konohamaru laughed at the look on her face, enjoying himself at her own discomfort. With a short huff, Hanabi stood up, adjusting her black baseball cap as she did so. She slipped her flip flops back on and turned to walk back towards the sandier area of the beach. Konohamaru stopped laughing and trailed behind her.

"Why are you following me?" Hanabi asked without looking at him. She sped up her pace but his long legs easily kept up with her.

"I should ask you that same question." He countered and she could hear the amusement in his voice.

"The beach is a free area. I can go wherever I want." She said and Konohamaru snickered.

"Actually it's not. Most of this beach is owned by my family."

Hanabi stopped in her tracks turned towards him.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me."

"Nope. You're on Senju property right now."

"Well good for fucking you." Hanabi said with a roll of her eyes and started to walk away again although not as fast as before.

It was a long way from this point back to the Uchiha beach house and she would much rather not run all the way there. Konohamaru wasn't leaving her side anytime soon either much to her own conflicted annoyance.

"I saw you walking earlier with that guy. He's Sasuke's older brother right? Imachi? Irochi? Ikari-"

"Itachi." Hanabi snapped and the boy nodded his head.

"Yea, Itachi." He said as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "How old is that guy anyway?"

"Why does it matter?"

Konohamaru's face flushed for a moment and he halted in his tracks, muttering something inaudible to himself. The Hyuuga rolled her eyes and kept walking. Eventually, Konohamaru caught back up to her and was just as persistent as before.

"Lots of people have seen you two together around town and they talk." He said and Hanabi shrugged her shoulders. She didn't care. "What are you guys doing here anyway. The Uchihas haven't set foot on their property in-"

"Konohamaru." Hanabi said calmly and the boy's mouth snapped shut. "What I do with my time and who I spend my time with is of no concern to you anymore."

"Yes, it is." He replied matter of factly. The simplicity of his statement made her stop walking, confusion was written clearly across her face. "Everything you do concerns me. I...I still care about you ya know."

Hanabi snorted and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You have a terrible way of showing it." She grumbled but a small selfish part of her liked hearing those words.

Konohamaru took a step towards her, a cheeky grin on his lips. The same grin that made her heart turn flips and her fingertips to tingle. It was weird being in his presence alone. It felt natural, as though no time had passed between them at all. The feeling was frightening yet comforting at the same time. Why was it so easy to slip back into their old pattern?

"So are you his ward or his girlfriend?" Konohamaru asked again and just like that the ease they were starting to slip into was broken. Now they were only falling and she had no idea where they would land.

"What we are is none of your business." She hissed and started walking away again. Konohamaru grabbed her wrist and yanked her arm back with more force than she'd remembered him possessing. She tried to wrest her limb away from him but it only made his grip tighter.

"What do you think you're doing? Let go of me." Hanabi demanded as he pulled her flush against his chest.

"Hanabi you need to understand that the Uchiha aren't good. I heard what happened to your sister. Don't let Itachi ruin you too-" he said and although his voice was soft his eyes were hard and unfamiliar.

"You are being absolutely ridiculous right now. Let go of me and go bother your girlfriend."

The reminder of Moegi made his finally let go of Hanabi's wrist and his fingers curled around empty air. The Hyuuga turned away from him completely, heart pounding wildly in her chest. It was the first time she'd acknowledged Konohamaru's relationship out loud. She'd thought about it a million times in her head but it felt different when spilled from her own lips. She cradled her wrist to her chest and rubbed the burning limb with her other hand in hopes that the feeling of his touch would go away.

"Moegi is not my girlfriend." Konohamaru started, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "I mean she _is_ but she's not. This whole trip is an arrangement between our families to get to know one another."

"You two already look cozy together. Job well done." Hanabi spat. Konohamaru tried to step closer to her to close the distance between them but Hanabi backed away. "I'm leaving."

"I tried to chase after you that night but you ran away. You always run away Hanabi. Is that why you're here with the Uchiha? Are you running away from something else?"

 _Why? Why was he like this? Why did he know her better than she knew herself?_

"Shut up."

 _She hated it._

"Just hear me out-"

 _She hated him._

"I said shut up!"

Her voice was much louder than she intended it to be. Standing there with the sea at her back and the only boy she'd ever cared for by her side one would believe that she was in paradise. Instead, it felt more like hell. She took another half step away from him but he reached out and grabbed both of her shoulders. She gasped at the contact but was silenced by his lips angrily claiming her. She tried to push him away but Konohamaru was much too strong. He knew how she would move before she even did it and as a result sent them toppling down into the sand with him on top.

The kiss was clumsy and messy but it held within it a warmth that she had missed the last few months. It was that same warmth that led her to believe she was in love. Yet it wasn't love. She cared more for Konohamaru than she'd ever done for anyone outside of her family but it wasn't love. It was close, so close. His tongue passed over hers and her heart wished for it to be love. However, she'd seen love recently and what she and Konohamaru had wasn't it.

Love was jumping into a freezing lake to save the life of your lover's sister because you didn't want her to cry. Love was abdicating your status to ensure the one you loved had a better life. Love was working tirelessly to ensure that your futures together would be secure and happy. Would Konohamaru ever do any of those things if the shoe was on the other foot? Would she? She turned her head away from his lips and they traveled down her jaw and neck. Part of her wished that he would. If push came to shove she hoped that he would choose her. Yet...despite his heated kisses, she knew that his lips didn't belong to her. He would not allow her to be the sole owner either. He was the last remaining male heir of the Senju and as such he had a role to uphold. She was extraneous to that.

"Stop." She said flatly and his kisses immediately ceased.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked looking down at her with worried brown eyes.

She wanted to say yes. That her head hurt from thinking too much. Her heart hurt from caring too much. Instead, she shook her head.

"Moegi doesn't know who I am to you." She said and yet again the mention of his girlfriend made him draw away.

Taking the opening she slowly rose to her own feet and casually brushed sand off of her arms and legs. Konohamaru remained in the sand and refused to look at her.

"She knows you are a friend." He said and Hanabi let out a short breath through her nose.

Konohamaru was a liar.

"I'm not your friend." Hanabi said and walked away from the boy in the sand.

This time he didn't follow her.

 **...**

 **Monday, June 4, 2018, 6:01 pm**

 **Makinohara- Uchiha Property**

… **..**

When Hanabi reached the Uchiha beach house sunset had begun to sneak its way over the town. She hadn't been in any kind of a rush to get back. Konohamaru hadn't chased her down so she was able to walk back at a much slower pace with only her thoughts for company. She'd walked up and down the beach, the waves lapping at her ankles and her own guilt tormenting her heart. Eventually, she had nowhere else to walk but home. However, the beach house was empty when she arrived much to her own surprise. Maybe her plan to ditch Itachi with Izumi had worked too well? To occupy her time she took down the laundry drying on the line on the deck and brought it inside.

She folded all of her own clothes and packed it away in her suitcase. When that task was complete Itachi still wasn't home and his clothes were quickly becoming wrinkled in a pile. With nothing else to do she folded his clothes as well and brought them into his room. His room was just a pristine as before, not a paper out of place. She set the clothing on top of his stack suitcases, unsure of how he wished to organize his own things and turned back to leave the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the crumpled brown paper bag on his desk. It was still sitting as unbothered as it had been this morning and just as odd. It was an imperfect thing among Itachi's near-pristine possessions.

It was wrong to snoop through other people's things but she could help but reach out for the bag hesitantly. Maybe it was just snacks or something Itachi had left out. It could be a completely innocuous thing and she'd feel silly for even looking. However, the memory of Itachi doubled over the other night was still fresh in her mind and it drove her to find out more about his condition. Hanabi opened the paper bag, the sound explosive inside of the quiet room. Inside were half a dozen orange bottles of prescription pills. The labels on which she couldn't even read because the words didn't even look like anything she'd ever seen before. The only other time she'd seen this many pills in one place was in the medicine cabinets of some of the Hyuuga elders and they were all well into their eighties. Itachi was barely twenty-nine years old. He should need anywhere near this many pills. Not unless...he was dying.

Hanabi sank down onto the edge of the bed, clutching one of the pill bottles to her chest. All of the blood had drained out of her body, leaving her weak and disoriented. She doubted that she would be able to move even if a tsunami threatened the shoreline. Something was terribly wrong with Itachi. She had been too busy wallowing in her own melodrama and Itachi was suffering alone. He still wasn't back yet. Was he okay? Was he with Izumi? Hanabi hoped that he was. If something happened to him while he was alone he would be defenseless. A defenseless Itachi sounded like such an oxymoron yet it was a reality right now...

The teen wasn't quite sure how long she stayed on Itachi's bed. Hours perhaps? Eventually, the door to his room opened again and he paused at the sight of her curled up in the middle of his sheets. His attention slid from her to his desk and upon seeing his bag messed with, realization sparked in his eyes. White eyes met black in the darkness, the silence between them thickening. He took a few steps toward the bed and she moved over to make room for him. When he slipped underneath the covers she smelled it. A flowery perfume that was distinct against Itachi's usual scent. It was a smell that could only belong to a woman. Despite that foreign scent she buried her face in his chest and clutched the front of his shirt. Somehow this made him feel more real. If she just held him close he wouldn't slip away. Large hands calmly patted the top of her head, imbuing in her the same subdued energy that the owner possessed and making it impossible for her to cry.

"Chi." She whispered and a deep rumble of acknowledgment through his chest vibrated against her. "Are you dying?"

She felt him let out a slow deep breath, the air ruffled the flyaways wisps of her hair. Hanabi removed herself from his chest and sat up so that she could look at him fully. Her messy brown hair tumbled down her back as she sat up and Itachi lazily twirled some of the ends with his fingers. The room was pitch black now save for the few beams of moonlight that slipped in through the curtains yet she could feel his eyes on her.

"I'm not sure."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **F is for Regret**

 _The only thing he'd regret in this life was not holding her closer or kissing her longer._


	6. F is for Regrets

**CCNote:** **Thanks as always for your support of this story! I'm going to try my best to make it all the way to the end. I'm determined not to leave this unfinished! Also to the flamers. Why are you clicking on a story with a tag you don't like? Like thanks for reading but why? Special shout out to the reviewers of the last chapter. Y'all are the real MVP.**

 **Fun fact: Did you know that in Japan maternity leave and childcare leave are 2 separate things? Up to 14 weeks of maternity leave and then after that childcare leave kicks in. Childcare leave can be anywhere from 2 months to a year (or more depending on the company) after maternity leave. Childcare leave is available for both mothers and fathers and covers 50% of a person's salaried pay. There are lots of hoops to jump through but yea. The more ya know lol.**

 _ **Important:**_ **This story is non-linear. It dips in and out of the lives of all of the characters/storylines from SwtE. So in order to not be confused please pay attention to date, time, and location stamps. It will help you keep things in order.**

 **As always please leave a REVIEW! Enjoy!**

 **F is for Regrets**

 **Friday, February 18, 2019, 6:49 pm**

 **Uchiha Penthouse**

 **….**

Sasuke sighed as he slumped back into his office chair. Scattered all over his desk were stacks of permit approvals, zoning guidelines, and multiple budgets that needed his approval before they could break ground at the new location for their headquarters. Work was a slow and steady slogging through more red tape than he'd anticipated but he was almost to the finish line. Well not actually. Once all of this preliminary paperwork was out of the way there was sure to be another deluge of tasks that required his attention.

Being the head of the Uchiha meant that his responsibilities had quadrupled overnight and not only was he to oversee the company but their clan affairs as well. There were coming of age ceremonies to plan and graduations to attend. Weddings and funerals that required his presence. Petty squabbles between members that needed to be settled. Most of the day to day dealings with the clan was supposed to be handled by the matriarch but Hinata had not yet accepted that role. He'd planned on asking her to marry him as soon as the twins were born but that had happened earlier than expected. They'd spent so much time going in and out of the hospital that a proposal and the subsequent planning of a wedding was out of both of their minds.

However, one month had turned into two, two into three. Neither one of them minded the arrangement. They were a family in all but name and they both had more pressing matters to attend to. The twins kept Hinata on her feet constantly and while Sasuke had tried to help the first few months after their birth, the demands of being head were much too great and he was dragged off to fulfill his responsibilities. He didn't like being far from Hinata and his sons though so every night he brought whatever work he couldn't finish back home with him. The guest bedroom in the penthouse had been converted into his own home office where he worked until he fell asleep at his desk or Hinata managed to coax him into bed when she'd finished wrestling with the twins.

Sasuke regretted not being able to spend more time with his family but just hearing their laughter and their cries, even from the next room, was enough for him for now. Currently, he could faintly hear the sounds of some children's television show in the living room. He closed his eyes and sank deeper into his chair. He would only rest his eyes for a moment and then it was back to work.

 _Just for a moment..._

The Uchiha had almost fallen asleep when he heard a rather awkward and rushed thumping against the hardwood floor just outside of his door. Sasuke opened his tired eyes. Hinata must have dropped something on the way to their bedroom. He was about to close his eyes again but now there was tapping. Nothing Hinata could have dropped had the ability to tap. With a grunt, he stood up from his chair to investigate the disturbance and it didn't take long to figure out the source. There was a small gap between the door and the floor, small fingers thrummed through the gap as though they were searching for something.

Sasuke stood just a few inches out of reach of those small fingers, frozen in place by their familiarity and longing. Those fingers belonged to his son but they were also his own. His own fingers had reached through the gap in the door for many years searching unexplainably for his own father. A sharp pang shot through his chest as he watched the fingers disappear under the door and the muffled sound of Hinata's voice on the other side. When he opened the door to the office Hinata turned around, tired pale eyes looked up at him at first with surprise but then they softened. In her arms, she held a squirming little boy who desired nothing more than to be back on the ground. Her hair was tied back in a messy ponytail and her clothing was rumpled from the tiny hands that constantly tugged on her.

 _Was this what his mother looked like the countless times she'd scooped his away from his father's door?_

"I'm sorry, did he disturb you?" Hinata asked with a weary smile as she adjusted the boy on her hip.

"Hn." Sasuke replied shaking his head.

"Good. Come on Hiro. We have more things to play with in the living room."

 _When did he become his father?_

Hiroto protested in Hinata's arms, his dark eyes welling up with tears. He was a persistent baby and did not like being deterred from what he'd set his little mind to. Sasuke frowned as the whimpering started to turn into a full-on tantrum with Hinata struggling to soothe him on their walk down the hall. Once Hajime heard his brother start crying he began to cry as well and soon the penthouse was filled with the sound of inconsolable tears.

With a shake of his head, he closed the door to his office and walked out towards the living room where Hinata was. She'd set a crying Hiroto down on a large quilt next to his brother who was equally red-faced for no other reason than for the fact that his partner in crime was also crying. Sasuke watched as Hinata tried to distract them with soft toys and noisemakers but the two stubbornly continued their tantrum.

"Hinata." He called, his voice barely able to be heard above the crying but his intended had heard him anyway.

"Sasuke?" She asked and this time her surprise stayed.

Seeing that look on her face actually hurt. She shouldn't be surprised to see him. He was her lover and the father of her children, his presence should not be that much of a shock. The Uchiha approached the quilt and crouched down next to his stubbornly upset sons. Identical sets of obsidian eyes looked up at him and their wailing ceased. Hajime's bottom lip quivered a bit and fat tears still streamed down Hiroto's face but at least they weren't screaming anymore. Hinata looked from the babies to him with wide pale eyes as though she'd just witnessed him part the sea.

"You are giving your mother a hard time." Sasuke said firmly.

He knew that the boys couldn't understand him but the sound of his voice actually made the last vestiges of their tantrums disappear. Sasuke looked around for something to dry their wet cheeks with but Hinata was way ahead of him and heading back to the quilt with a box of tissues. She started to wipe their faces but Sasuke grabbed her wrist.

"Go." He said, rubbing his thumb gently against the outside of her wrist. Was her wrist always this small?

"Sasuke, I've got this. They're just extra fussy tonight. You should get back to your work." She protested softly but he could hear how tired she was in her voice. He was tired too but at least he didn't have two little demons screaming at him all day. He let go of her wrist in favor of taking the tissues from her and wiping his sons' cheeks clean.

"Go take a shower. You stink Hyuuga." He said without looking back at her.

He didn't have to see her to know that her face had turned crimson with embarrassment. It was a lie of course. Hinata never smelled that bad, at least not to him. As he pulled one of the twins into his lap Hinata rose up from the quilt and scurried away towards their bathroom. When he heard the water start to run he let out a sigh of relief and held up the little boy in his lap at arm's length. Hajime and Hiroto were nearly identical in every way save for the fact that Hajime had a tiny black freckle on the back of his left calf. Their families constantly mixed the two boys up and sometimes even he had difficulties but Hinata was able to tell the difference between the two of them instantly. He supposed it was because they were attached to her twenty-four hours a day.

"Haji." He said firmly and the eight-month-old stared back at him with big black eyes. "You are the oldest. You can't cry just because Hiro is crying."

Hajime only held out his pudgy little hands and wiggled his fingers to suggest he wanted to be held closer. With a defeated sigh, Sasuke held the boy close to his chest and Haji promptly buried his face into his shirt. The affection didn't last long though because he soon wanted to join his brother who was trying to crawl away off the quilt. Sasuke shook his head at the escape attempt and brought Hiroto back to the middle of the quilt.

He tried to distract them with their plethora of toys but all they desired to do was use him as a human jungle gym. So he laid down on his back and allowed them free reign to climb as much as they wished. It was another twenty minutes before Hinata reappeared again and this time she looked a lot better. Her smile was still a bit weary but the color had returned to her face. Under her arms, she carried in a stack of folders and brought them with her over to the quilt. She sat down beside him and opened the first folder.

"Sarutobi contracting budget outline. Itemized according to-"

"Hinata." he interrupted, placing a hand on her thigh.

A nonverbal sign that she didn't have to do this. She should really go to bed since she would likely only get a few hours of sleep before she needed to feed the twins. She placed the folder to the side for a moment before leaning over him. Her dark hair spilled around him like a curtain and blocked out the rest of the living room. He could feel one of the twins try to crawl away but he gently pulled them back by their ankle. He watched as Hinata's pale eyes slid closed and her lips descended upon his. Her lips were soft, so soft they turned his tense muscles into pudding and he could feel some of his fatigue slip away. When was the last time she'd kissed him like this? All too soon she pulled away, a soft pink blush brushed over her cheeks. The sight of her left him speechless. She picked up the folder again and settled herself into a more comfortable position.

"Sarutobi contracting budget outline..."

As her voice washed over him Sasuke couldn't help but feel that same pang from earlier in his chest. Or perhaps that was only Hajime beating on his chest. In either case, he didn't like it. He didn't like feeling this way. Why did it feel as though he missed her even though they shared the same bed every night? He existed in this world with her and yet they were constantly passing each other. The Uchiha wasn't quite sure how to deal with these kinds of emotions but he knew one thing for sure. Tonight would be the first and last night he saw little fingers underneath his door.

 **….**

 **Saturday February 19 2019 1:30pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **….**

"Haji look!"

His window was cracked open ever so slightly that her voice carried into his office. He could hear squeals of laughter coming from the garden and the splashing of water. Curiously, Hiashi Hyuuga pulled back the curtains and looked down at the private inner courtyard gardens of the main house. The inner courtyard was not as vast as the gardens shared by the rest of the compound. It had been carefully cultivated by himself and his wife when they'd first gotten married. He remembered the sweat that dripped into his eyes and the dirt that he was never able to completely get out from under his nails. He recalled the way her hair stuck to her forehead and cheeks and the way she smiled when their work was done.

'Hikari.' He thought as he pulled back the curtains a little more.

Sitting beside the small koi pond was his eldest daughter with one of her sons in her lap. His nephew's fiance had the other Uchiha in her lap as well. Hajime, the one Hinata had, was trying to reach his little hand into the pond. Wriggling fingers splashed the water in an attempt to coax the fish over but it only made them keep their distance. Hinata stilled his hand and kept it steady in the water until one brave, or rather stupid, koi fish finally brushed past his fingers. The little Uchiha jerked back his hand in surprise, unsure of whether to be happy or scared. Hinata laughed at Hajime's confused little face and his fear melted away. He turned back to the pond and stuck his hand in again, eager to touch another fish.

Hiashi pushed the window open a little wider to observe the garden's occupants better. Hinata came over once a month like clockwork so that the twins could spend time with the Hyuuga part of their family. Sometimes the children of the branch members would be clamoring over one another to play with their Uchiha cousins who were much too small for that kind of thing. Other times, like today, it would just be her and Tenten and the twins. He watched the twins grow in this garden. Each time they were a little bigger, a little longer, and the spitting image of their father. There was no mistaking the Uchiha's influence over their genes and Hiashi had a feeling that as they got older they would look like his clones.

There were pieces of Hinata in them though, namely their smile. The boys didn't smile for just anyone. In fact, they had never smiled when he was in their presence or when they were overrun by their extended family members. He had seen the phenomenon though when the garden was peaceful on days like today. They smiled the exact same way Hinata did when she was a baby. What would Hikari say if she were here right now watching their daughter? There was no doubt in his mind that his wife would be angry with him. Would she scold him for his harsh words and reprimand him for his pride? Would she think he was wrong?

He'd only wished for what was best for both of his daughters. Their lives were his to care for and protect. As long as they were within his reach he would stop at nothing to ensure that their lives were stable. However, somewhere along the way, he must have made a miscalculation. Hanabi never called him, not even for money. He wasn't quite sure what she was doing financially speaking because none of her accounts had been touched. What was she doing for money? His youngest was resourceful but he worried about her becoming entangled in a mess she couldn't get herself out of.

In regards to Hinata, he was the one pushing her away. At first, he didn't want to admit it. His pride was too large and his ego too stubborn. In his mind, Hinata had made a terrible mistake. She'd forsaken the future of her clan and the wishes of her father for a boy. An Uchiha at that! He thought that his eldest was smarter than to get herself mixed up with such a man but he supposed he only had himself to blame. If he hadn't initiated the merge with the Uchihas none of this would have happened. Hanabi would not have felt the need to essentially run away from home. He would be able to look Hinata in the eye. The Uchiha were a cursed family and it appeared as though some of their misfortune had rubbed off on him.

Hiashi's attention was torn away from his own thoughts when he heard the twins squeal. He watched as Hinata and Tenten let them go and they crawled through the grass to get to their father who was only a few feet away. Sasuke picked up both boys into his arms with the skill that only a father of twins could possess. Hajime and Hiroto tugged at the Uchiha's dark hair and pushed their little hands into his face until they were finally put back on the ground. Hiashi couldn't help but chuckle under his breath at the Uchiha's torment. However, his amusement didn't last long for the Uchiha's appearance meant that it was time for Hinata and the twins to depart. Tenten hugged her future sister in law tightly and kissed the twins goodbye much to their distaste. Sasuke took the twins away and Tenten followed close behind him with her arms full of stuffed toys. Hinata stayed back to fold up the quilt they'd laid out in the garden.

He watched her fold it up carefully with graceful movements all reminiscent of her mother. If Hikari was here she would be proud to see how beautiful their shy little grew up to be. That little girl who was all big eyes and red cheeks. Was she happy with the Uchiha? Was that punk able to make her as happy as he said he would nearly a year ago in his office? Hiashi couldn't tell...then again he wouldn't ask either. His pride wouldn't let him. When Hinata finished folding up the quilt she held the soft material close to her chest and turned to go inside but something made her pause. She turned back to where his office window overlooked the garden and looked up at him. It felt like an eternity as she held his gaze and for the first time in almost a year he didn't look away.

She was no longer the little girl he knew that would hide behind his pants legs and stutter uncontrollably. At some point, he blinked and she had turned into a woman. A woman who didn't need him. A woman he'd hurt. Sasuke stepped back into the garden, this time without the twins to collect Hinata. His daughter's gaze left his and she looked back at the man who now possessed the highest position in her heart. Hiashi watched as the Uchiha took the quilt from Hinata's arms and held out his hand for her to take. He led her back into the house and Hiashi closed his office window. He drew the curtains, throwing his office into darkness.

 **….**

 **Saturday February 19 2019 10:45pm**

 **Uchiha Penthouse**

 **…..**

All was finally quiet in the Uchiha household. The twins had lost out to sleep and were now tucked away safely in their cribs. Sasuke hooked the baby monitor to his belt loop and shut the nursery door behind him as softly as he could. He paused for a moment when there was a tiny click, praying that his sons were asleep deep enough that they didn't hear it. When neither one of them were roused he breathed a sigh of relief and ran his fingers through his hair. He had no idea how Hinata managed to get them to sleep every night. She made it look so easy but his sons were incredibly difficult to deal with when they wanted to be obstinate. This was why he'd wanted a daughter. Uchiha men were too much trouble. At the end of the hall, he heard a soft giggle and he looked up to see Hinata smiling at his misery.

"Have fun?" She whispered and Sasuke glared at her.

"Your children are terrible." He whispered back and pulled her down the hallway into the living room and towards their own room.

"They aren't that bad." Hinata defended with a knowing gleam in her eye.

Sasuke raised a skeptical brow at her ascertain and a broad smile spread across her face.

"They aren't I swear."

Sasuke shook his head and started to unbutton his shirt which was covered in sporadic patches of baby drool. He fumbled on a few of the buttons, his tired fingers just didn't want to obey him. Soon slender, pale fingers moved his own out of the way and began to unbutton his shirt for him. When the last button was off, she slid the shirt over his shoulders and took it away to be placed in the hamper. Sasuke was able to unbuckle his pants on his own and once they were off it only took him a second to crawl into bed. He placed the baby monitor on the bedside table and prayed to whatever gods he needed to that the twins would not wake up in the middle of the night.

"Were you able to come to an agreement on the blueprints with Neji?" Hinata asked as she slid into the bed next to him.

She squeaked as he wrapped one of his arms around her waist and pulled her back against his chest. He pressed his lips against the back of her shoulder and she shivered under his touch.

"Yes." He said.

It wasn't hard for him and Neji to agree on the blueprints for the new headquarters. After all, the layout and initial proposal had been Hinata's idea. If there was one thing the two of them could agree on it was Hinata.

"Good. When the twins are big enough I'll be back to work to help you."

Sasuke smirked against Hinata's shoulder. He desired nothing more than to have her working back by his side. He missed her spirit in the office but he didn't want to rush her back into work. In any case, the twins would likely run off any nanny they had so he doubted Hinata would be returning anytime soon. Part of him felt guilty though. His sons were a force to be reckoned with despite how tiny they were when they were born. He could only hope that they would temper out as they got older. He wished that they had more of Hinata's temperament than his.

They were stubborn at best...obstinate at their worst. They played well only with each other and sometimes Naruto's son Ito if they were feeling gracious. They liked to go on hunger strikes and wake up at odd hours of the night. Yet, despite their fussiness, Sasuke couldn't help but love them. The other night he'd promised himself to never see those little fingers reaching for him again. He needed to spend more time with them and Hinata. The meeting today with Neji hadn't only been about approving blueprints. No, there was going to be a staff shakeup and a new intake of employees.

Too much of the Hyuuga and Uchiha power was concentrated at the head of the company. The micromanagement of their companies was causing productivity to be slower than their competitors and things were slipping through the cracks. Something had to change. The way their elders had run things may have worked in the past but their methods were quickly becoming obsolete. There was no way he could continue to do this without becoming burned out or a stranger in his own home. Neji had agreed readily to his proposal and soon they would pitch the new structure to their shareholders to get their input. With any luck, in a few months, he'd be able to spend more time with his family and less time chained to his desk.

The thought of spending more time with Hinata brought him back to the present where the woman in his arms was sinking back into him, leeching off of his warmth the way she always did. He had missed this feeling immensely and for the first time in a while, he wasn't too tired to enjoy it.

"Hinata." He whispered, pressing the tip of his nose against her skin.

"Hm?" She mumbled with a voice thick with impending slumber.

"Thank you."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **G is for Traditions**

 _"What are you doing?"_

 _"Something I should have done when you proposed the first time."_


	7. G is for Traditions

**CCNote: Hey y'all! Heres another installment in our sequel. I wonder how many people guessed correctly for the subject for today? This chapter was a challenge to write and I'm not all the way satisfied with it but it is necessary to get to the next chapter.**

 ** _To reviewers wondering about Sakura:_ She hasn't disappeared from the story. Her role will come into play very soon.**

 ** _To reviewers wondering about Itachi and Hanabi's relationship_ : Up to this point, just like last time, their relationship is open to your own interpretation. If you don't like ItaHana that's fine. It's definitely not ItaHana. If you do like ItaHana that's also cool cuz it's sooo ItaHana. It's whatever you want it to be. It will change definitively one way or the other later on in the story (feel free to speculate) but we are nowhere near that point and I'm not telling.**

 ** _To reviewers wondering about the story title and chapters_ : The title of this story came to me in a dream so I ran with it. There's no real meaning behind it but the chapter titles will give you a hint at what the chapter will be about. (Example: D is for High Society; Ino vs the snobby moms. F is for Regrets; Sasuke vs (potential regrets) Work/Family life and Hiashi vs his own (very real) regrets)**

 _ **Important:**_ **This story is non-linear. It dips in and out of the lives of all of the characters/storylines from SwtE. So in order to not be confused please pay attention to date, time, and location stamps. It will help you keep things in order.**

 **Excuse all mistakes, I do go back and change them eventually.**

 **As always please don't forget to leave a REVIEW. They are literally what keeps me writing this story! Enjoy!**

 **G is for Traditions**

 **Saturday, April 3, 2019, 11:10 am**

 **Higawa Shrine**

 **...**

"Hold still."

"I _am_ holding still. I can't even move!"

"You're breathing, that's moving."

Tenten wanted to huff at the statement but instead held her breath and prayed that this would be over quickly. As she watched Hinata's nimble fingers skillfully fold and tuck the copious layers of expensive fabric around her body she knew that finishing quickly was an unlikely outcome. Hinata might be good but there were still more cords and fabric littering the tatami floor around them. While Hinata was wrestling with her kimono, Ino was trying to put her makeup together, something the martial arts instructor rarely ever bothered with. It was too much of a hassle to paint her face every day like most women did and Tenten liked to think of herself as more practical than that. The less time she spent preening the more time she had to practice.

However, today was a special day and necessary for her to have the patience to actually get dolled up. It was her wedding day after all and as such, it required an exception to her self-imposed 'no-preening' rule. As Ino's steady hand lined her eyes and curled her eyelashes she hoped that she didn't look like a hot mess. She wasn't the prettiest girl growing up, in fact, she'd been mistaken for a boy on more than one occasion. It wasn't until she hit puberty and started developing more feminine features that men started to recognize the fact that she was a girl. They still weren't interested in her all that much. They just recognized the fact that she had boobs but that never stopped her from kicking their ass.

"There." Ino said, placing one last flick of gloss across her former roommate's lips. " I must say, I've outdone myself."

Tenten rolled her eyes as Ino moved out of the way of the mirror and when she caught her reflection, her breath caught in her throat. Her brown eyes looked bigger, brighter and her eyebrows were perfect. Her lips had been painted a shade of red that complemented her complexion nicely and didn't overpower her face. She'd been afraid that Ino would go overboard _but this._..this was...

"Beautiful." Hinata said breathlessly as she straightened her back to stand next to Tenten. "You look absolutely stunning Ten!"

Tenten blushed at her best friend's praise. Beautiful was not a word she would normally use to describe herself. Rough? Yes. Hard-headed? Yes. Beautiful? No...never in a million years. She could barely recognize the woman staring back at her in the mirror. This foreign woman standing before her in an elaborately embroidered wedding kimono worth more than she'd made in her lifetime. Was this really her? What would Neji think would he saw her? Would he even recognize her? Would he like what he saw?

Ino and Hinata tag teamed wrapping the heavy obi around her, cinching the material around her waist. With each addition to her attire she was beginning to resemble the past Hyuuga matriarchs more and more but on the inside, she felt like an imposter. She'd poured over the Hyuuga archives and explored aspects of the clan's history that were obscure to even Neji when she made mention of them. The Hyuuga were an ancient and noble clan and with that came many responsibilities.

In the past women were bred to become the matriarch of the main house. From their first steps, they were taught how they would fulfill their future duties to their clan and to their husband. They were taught how to walk just slightly behind him and how to eat with small bites. They were never to talk back to their husbands and a challenge to their authority was seen as a blight on their union. From how to sleep to how to bear children, it was all extensively recorded in the Hyuuga's long history. The information was overwhelming. It weighed on her shoulders more than this heavy kimono. Was she right for Neji? Could she handle this?

 _Click!_

A bright flash in the mirror made Tenten squint her eyes and turn towards the culprit which of course was Ino. The blonde was smiling broadly as Hinata pulled the bride's arms through her heavy white haori.

"Don't glare Tenten. You'll ruin your wedding photos." Ino chided and Tenten sent her a half-hearted grimance. "That's a terrible face!"

"Almost done!" Hinata said as she finally reached for Tenten's wataboshi.

The large white hat was placed carefully on the bride's head and then promptly secured with what felt like a million bobby pins. When Hinata was finally satisfied with her work she took a step back with her hands clasped tightly over her heart. Her pale lavender eyes welled up with tears and Tenten couldn't help but feel concern for her emotional friend.

"Oh, Hina!" Tenten started worriedly. "What's wrong?"

She tried to move towards the crying Hyuuga but found the kimono she wore to be so stiff that it kept her from moving quickly. Hinata sniffed and shook her head, a quivering smile on her lips.

"I'm just so happy!" She said and quickly wiped her eyes. "N-Neji finally has someone on his side."

"Hinata-" Ino said softly wrapping an arm around the Hyuuga's petite shoulders.

"I'm sorry for crying. I...I just feel a little overwhelmed."

Tenten nodded, the sting of tears springing to her own eyes as well. She understood exactly what her best friend was trying to convey. Neji had lost both of his parents when he was very young. After that, he was tasked with looking after Hinata and later on Hanabi. He was supposed to make sure that no harm came to them while they were in school and that they always kept their grades up. Neji was the one that packed their lunches and dropped them off at school. Neji was the one the girls went to for advice and who was their support system. Not once did he complain about his role as their overprotective mother hen. That was just the kind of guy he was. However, while Neji was enmeshed in his cousins' lives he was still alone. While he cared for others there was never someone for him to lean on. There was never an outlet for his own emotions or someone to support him.

 _That is until today._

When she'd found out more about Neji's background she was able to relate to him on a level she never thought was possible. Even though she also didn't have parents Neji's loss was worse in her opinion. She'd never known her parents but Neji had. He'd known the love of a mother and a father. To have that ripped away caused him to close in on himself and not let anyone in. Letting others in meant letting others hurt you. It meant that at some point you'd lose them.

"Don't you dare cry Tenten!" Ino hissed as she wiped some of her own tears away. "I'll have to redo your makeup! Don't cry!"

The brunette let out a sound halfway between a laugh and a choked cry, fanning her eyes to keep from having Ino bring her torture devices near her face again. She wasn't a crier but dammit Hinata was contagious!

"Has Sakura made it in yet?" Tenten asked, seeking to change the subject into lighter territory.

Ino shook her head and Hinata stiffened a bit.

"No. She called this morning...I...I didn't want to say anything unless you asked." Ino said. "She wasn't able to book her flight back in time... but she sends her love. She also sent a wedding gift which I think you'll get after the honeymoon."

Tenten nodded her head, her wataboshi moving along with her. Sakura had left Konoha a couple of weeks after the dojo's showcase. Something about 'finding herself' whatever that meant. Tenten didn't really understand but she let Sakura go with little fuss. Ino, on the other hand, had been very upset. She'd only just gotten her best friend back and she was already leaving again. She had expected Sakura to stay and help her through her pregnancy like a best friend would but that's not how it panned out. She didn't even return for the Uzumaki's small elopement ceremony or the birth of Ito. Ino took most of it in stride as the weeks turned into months but Tenten could tell that even now, over a year later, Ino still felt abandoned.

"Knock, Knock!" A cheery voice called from the doorway.

The three inhabitants of the room all turned to see Hanabi smiling broadly in the doorway. Her long brown hair was actually curled in tamed ringlets and she wore a simple yellow tea dress that complimented her slender figure nicely.

"Hanabi!" Hinata gasped and raced to the door. She wrapped her arms around her little sister and pulled her in close.

"Himanba!" The teen said as she was being smothered in her sister's affection.

Sensing the fact that she was suffocating Hanabi, Hinata let her go. Tenten giggled as a blush of embarrassment stained the elder's cheeks only to evaporate when Hanabi threw her arms around her neck.

"I missed you too." She said before letting her sister go and turning her attention towards Tenten. "Wow! Are you sure you want to marry Neji? You could do a lot better you know?"

"Hanabi!" Hinata chided but Tenten and Ino only laughed at the remark.

"Well hello to you too Hanabi." Tenten said. "Long time no see. How's your first semester going?"

Hanabi shrugged her shoulders at Tenten's question and glanced back at the door to the dressing room.

"Is it cool if I hide out here until it's time to start?" The Hyuuga asked. "Everyone out there is a stick in the mud."

"I wish we could say yes but it's time to get a move on." Ino laughed. "We've to get this show on the road!"

 **….**

 **Saturday, April 3, 2019, 12:01 pm**

 **Higawa Shrine**

 **...**

Higawa Shrine was nestled in the middle of downtown Konoha's historic district. It was said that the entire town had been built around this shrine. Despite the many wars that had taken place over the centuries and the natural disasters that had decimated the surrounding area, Higawa Shrine always remained. Somehow, even though it was located in the center of a sprawling metropolis, the shrine itself was untouched by outside noise. Lush greenery hung from the rafters, contrasting immensely against the bright red and gold paint of the shrine's buildings.

Carefully Tenten stepped out of the building she had been getting ready in. Her kimono was so heavy she wondered how Hinata wore these death traps so often. Across the courtyard, on a pavilion opposite to hers, was Neji and the sight of him made her forget all of her wardrobe woes. He stood staring straight ahead, his expression in its usual unreadable state. He wore an all black hakama and haori with the Hyuuga crest embroidered in white on the ends of his sleeves. His hair which was usually tied back in a low ponytail now hung loosely around his shoulders and lending an even more regal air to his appearance. Underneath the sleeves of her kimono, Tenten pinched the skin on the back of her left hand just to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

Down in the center of the courtyard, the Hyuuga clan was gathered to bear witness to their union. White eyes divided their attention between their new matriarch and their future head. Tenten gulped, none of their eyes looked friendly but as Hyuuga, they kept their disdain under wraps. Tenten couldn't blame them. Who had ever heard of a complete and utter nobody marrying into such a prestigious clan? In all of the records she'd come across she'd never found a matriarch that had a similar background to her. Pipes and flutes began to fill the air, cueing Neji and Tenten to walk down the steps of their pavilions into the courtyard.

Tenten's heart began to beat wildly in her chest as her feet led the way into the courtyard. Was she ready for this? Could she handle this? She met Neji halfway into the courtyard, his back stiff and eyes hard. He looked every bit the role of the Hyuuga head that he was supposed to be. She felt like an imposter. She wasn't supposed to be here. She was supposed to be in the dojo sparring with Lee or wrapping her bleeding knuckles with gauze. She was supposed to be the bridesmaid never the bride. She was an orphan who was more than content with the small life she'd eeked out for herself in Konoha. She was not supposed to be marrying into one of the most powerful clans here.

The music around them faltered a bit and Tenten was torn from her thoughts. Her face began to turn red as she realized that they'd been standing in the middle of the courtyard for far too long. Awkward coughs and sniffles were heard among the crowd and her heart felt like it would leap out of her chest. That is until she noticed the pale hand being extended to her. She stared the hand, utterly surprised by its appearance, but placed her hand in his. There were murmurs and gasps throughout the assembled crowd. They weren't supposed to be touching. This was against all of the rules for the ceremony. Neji's fingers intertwined with hers and the sounds of outrage faded away. All that she could think about was how warm his rough hand felt in hers.

Together they turned to face a four-hundred-year-old ginkgo tree where a small raised platform held the shrine's head priest who would be officiating their union. To the priest's right sat Hiashi Hyuuga and on his left was Gai. The bushy-browed man was all smiles and pride as he threw a thumbs up at the couple's approach. Tenten had to stifle her own laughter at the man's exuberance. Seeing Gai sit up in a place of honor next to Hiashi Hyuuga no less was quite the comical sight. Neji squeezed her hand gently, leading her down to sit in the seiza position before the priest. As the head priest started his prayer Tenten squeezed Neji's hand back and realized that her heartbeat had returned to normal. She might not be the most conventional choice for Hyuuga matriarch but she was going to be Neji's wife. She could handle that.

This stick in the mud that knew how to sew up holes in his own socks and always looked out for others before himself. From now on he would have someone looking out for him. The bride snuck a glance at her groom's stoic face as he listened intently to the head priest's words. Yes. From now on she would be the one looking out for him.

 **….**

 **Saturday, April 3, 2019, 5:15 pm**

 **Magnolia Hotel**

 **...**

The ballroom their reception was to be held in was decorated impeccably. White and silver silks were draped from the ceiling, decked out in strings of pearls and crystals. Large circular tales were scattered throughout the room draped in white linens with large centerpieces of crystal vases and red roses. At the front of the room on a raised platform was where the long head table was situated. Tenten and Neji sat as straight as boards as they regarded their friends and family intermingling below. So far things were going pretty well but it was only a matter of time before Lee found his way to the open bar. The newlywed couple hoped to be far away before they had to bear witness to that.

Underneath the table, she tapped the side of Neji's thigh, a silent plea to find out how much longer they'd have to sit up on this dreadful pedestal. Her husband didn't answer her. Instead, he took her hand and intertwined their fingers together. While she enjoyed holding Neji's hand that only meant that they weren't getting up from the table anytime soon. It wouldn't be so bad if they had better company. The Hyuuga elders were a...dry bunch to put it mildly. They were even more subdued now that the marriage contract had been signed and she was officially a Hyuuga now. Speaking out against their future head's new wife was something even they wouldn't dare to do.

 _Clink clink clink_

"May I have everyone's attention." Hiashi's voice boomed over the cavernous room and its occupants fell quiet. Once satisfied that all eyes were on him, Hiashi placed his fork back on the table and raised his glass to the newlyweds on the other end of the table.

"Thank you all for coming to bear witness to this joyous occasion. The union of my nephew and his wife Tenten."

Polite applause spread over the room although Tenten could distinctly hear Lee's enthusiastic clapping over the din of the others.

"The mantle of the head is a heavy one to bear. Your wife must be there to bear the load with you for it is too heavy to hold alone. Trust in one another. Confide in each other. Above all else ensure that every day you work to strengthen the clan and your bond." Hiashi continued and he raised his glass to his lips. "To many long years together."

The crowd raised their glasses as well and toasted to their union. Tenten bowed from her seat respectfully to her new father-in-law. It was strange to refer to him as such and she wasn't quite comfortable around him. It always felt like he was judging her and if she had to place bets Neji was likely shielding her from his outright criticism. His toast had been sweet though...in a distant Hyuugaesque way so that meant he was trying right? She felt Neji squeeze her hand from under the table before releasing it. He stood up and Tenten gratefully followed suit. She was eager to mingle with the few people who were friendly here.

It didn't take long for many of her allies to surround her either. Hanabi immediately skipped over and pulled Tenten into a hug much to the brunette's surprise.

"You're my sister now so we are in this together." She said with a devious smile. Tenten glanced at Neji who's brows were now furrowed. "There are some things you should know now that you're trapped. First, he takes _forever_ to shower in the morning. His hair is his lifeforce so if you cut even a little bit of it he's powerless. Also if you flush the toilet while she's in the shower-"

"Hanabi." Neji said sternly cutting his cousin off.

"What?" The teen asked innocently and Tenten couldn't help but laugh.

"Please don't listen to her. It appears she hasn't matured much since she's been at school."

"Oh look how the mighty Hyuuga have fallen." An enthusiastic voice called behind them.

Kiba Inuzuka threw his arms around both Neji and Tenten's necks and rested his chin on Neji's shoulder. Tenten wrinkled her nose at his close proximity. He reeked of booze already. Tenten slid out from under the man's hold while Neji removed his arm from his own shoulders.

"Good evening Kiba." Neji said politely and the Inuzuka grinned.

"Congratulations man. You now have an ole ball and chain." Kiba laughed and turned to Tenten. "Did you know he would stare at you constantly when you worked in that coffee shop? He looked like a sad little puppy."

Tenten and Hanabi laughed at Kiba's imitation of Neji's pining face but the man in question did not take the jest very lightly. Tenten shook her head and placed a hand on Neji's arm. He was less tense once she touched him but he still didn't look comfortable in Kiba's presence. Kiba didn't seem to care since his attention was enraptured with the teen who was struggling to keep in her laughter.

"And you are?" He asked smoothly, stepping away from Tenten and Neji to grab Hanabi's hand. Before Neji could stop him he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.

"Too young for you and not interested." Neji snapped and Kiba dropped Hanabi's hand.

"You can't keep all the women for yourself Neji. You're married now." Kiba teased and threw a wink at Hanabi before handing her his business card. "Call me sometime."

Kiba then walked away, seeing another group in the distance he could worm his way into. Neji narrowed his eyes at the business card in Hanabi's hand and the teen rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry I'm not going to fuck any of your friends." She said with a smirk and tore Kiba's card in half. "Scouts honor."

Then she flitted off into the crowd before Neji could chide her for her language or give her a lesson on her behavior. Tenten only smiled and shook her head. Hanabi was going to give Neji a heart attack before he turned forty. Her husband looked down at her with tired eyes, clearly not finding amusement with this situation. He didn't have much time to think about it more before they were swarmed with more well-wishers.

As the hours ticked by Tenten found it harder and harder to pay attention to what other people were saying to them. Even keeping her eyes open was a struggle. As the last great aunt twice removed finished her long winded story Tenten tugged at the edge of Neji's sleeve and looked pointedly towards the door that led to the gardens. Her husband breathed a sigh of relief and led her as swiftly as he could outside before anyone else cornered them. Once they had made it through the sliding glass doors to the hotel's garden it felt as though a large weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She took a deep breath and spread her arms out wide, thoroughly enjoying the rather balmy night air. Neji chuckled next to her at her antics.

"Man it feels good to stretch." Tenten groaned as she tried to stretch out her stiff muscles. There wasn't much she could do in her kimono but it was better than nothing.

"Let's go for a walk." Neji suggested which caused Tenten to look at him like he'd grown a second head. She'd never known Neji to be one who would slack off from their duty. "The open bar has been rather busy. I doubt anyone will know we're missing for a while. We'll go back in when we're done."

Tenten nodded her head in agreement but her peace was shortlived.

"Oh no!" Tenten gasped. "Lee!"

The bride and groom quickly turned around and sure enough, they could see Lee up to his usual drunken antics. Hyuugas young and old were watching with a mixture of awe and horror at Lee who was juggling several crystal vases and sharp cutlery. Tenten prayed at he didn't break anything. She looked up to Neji who was pinching the bridge of his nose and trying to resist the urge to stop Lee. Tenten let out an exasperated sigh at the scene. They really should have thought to designate someone as Lee's keeper for the night. At this point, all they could do was back away slowly and pretend like they didn't see anything.

Sensing that as their best option, Tenten pulled Neji away from the door and he allowed her to guide him down to the steps to the garden pathway. As the light from the faded away so did her anxiety. She wrapped her arm around Neji's and leaned her head against his shoulder as they walked through the well-cultivated gardens. Their clothing trailed behind them in the grass but neither one of them cared much, although Tenten knew that the Hyuuga seamstresses would give her an earful when they saw the grass stains.

"Ah, ya bastard. You never let me have any fun."

"Shut up you idiot."

Tenten and Neji looked at each other curiously as they heard the voices of their friends behind some of the tall hedges next to them. What in the world were they doing out here? As quickly as their bulky clothing would allow, the newlyweds made their way to the other side of the bush. There they found Sasuke, Hinata, Naruto, and Ino sitting on the grass with their backs against the bushes. Ino was snuggled between Naruto's legs and was using his suit jacket as a makeshift blanket while Sasuke and Hinata were much more content to just sit next to each other. Empty beer cans and wine bottles were scattered around them and the four didn't even notice the newlyweds approach until Neji's foot kicked an empty beer can. Ino nearly jumped out of her skin but settled back down when she realized who they were.

"Oh, it's only you guys." She sighed and picked up a beer can from a bag next to Naruto. The blonde woman handed Tenten the beer and she eagerly accepted it. She hadn't had anything to drink all night.

" _Only_ us?" Tenten snorted as she took a seat on the grass next to Hinata. Grass stains be damned. "The last I checked we were the main event."

It was a little difficult to get low to the ground with all of the stiffly folded material she had on but somehow she landed with little damage to herself or others.

"Oh! You look sooo handsome Neji." Hinata said, her words slightly slurring together as she spoke. She was cradling a half-empty bottle of cabernet to her chest which Sasuke slipped from her possession took a long swig of. "Like a million bucks."

"Come sit with us Neji! It's a party!" Naruto cheered and Neji rolled his eyes.

Tenten could see him debating in his mind whether to ditch the rest of the wedding or to remain outside. While he had a sense of duty to try to stick it out for the rest of the night, all of Tenten's willpower had slipped away. The moment she'd gotten a taste of fresh air it was going to take an army to force her to go back inside. Tenten smirked and offered Neji her beer. He should have never brought her outside. With a huff, he sat down next to her and Naruto cheered. Ino passed her another beer and Tenten gratefully cracked it open. The slightly warm hoppy liquid slid past her lips and made her muscles relax instantly. Three more of these and she might actually find the members of the Hyuuga clan enjoyable company. Naruto whooped as she and Neji finished their first beers and immediately went for more.

"Keep it down idiot or you'll draw attention." Sasuke groaned and elbowed Naruto in his side.

"Blah, blah, blah." Naruto mocked which made Ino and Hinata giggle.

"Do you think he's funny Hyuuga?" Sasuke asked Hinata and the pale-eyed woman blushed. She shook her head no but the drunken smile was still plastered on her face.

"Don't be jealous Sasuke. I'm naturally funnier than you."

"Hn. There's nothing to be jealous of. No one is laughing with you. They're laughing at you."

Naruto leaned closer to Sasuke and rested his head on his shoulder. The Uchiha glared at him but was too tired to shake him off.

"You're jealous. Just admit it."

"Shut up Naruto."

"I'll take that as a 'yes, Naruto, you are the greatest most funniest person and I'm totally jealous of you'."

Everyone laughed at that statement except Sasuke of course who did not find Naruto funny at all. Even Neji cracked a small smile. Tenten nudged his shoulder a bit with her own and his smile got a little bigger. After a few more beers they popped open a bottle of champagne Naruto had pilfered from the bar and passed it around between the six of them. When the last of the champagne was gone Tenten slumped further against Neji's side, enjoying the playful banter of her friends and the peacefulness of the gardens.

It was rather odd for all of them to be huddle together in hiding given the history they had between one another. If someone had asked her when she first came to Konoha where she would see herself it definitely wouldn't be here. Fancy dinners and expensive kimonos just weren't her thing but if she had to slog through it she would. As long as she had people like this in her life it would all be worth it.

Tenten looked over at her friends and was unsurprised to find that they had all fallen asleep. They had been drinking long before she and Neji had arrived and were likely exhausted from their usual parental duties. Tonight their children were in the care of some poor Hyuuga branch member and while they should be making the most of their freedom they had drank until they passed out. Tenten smiled as she observed the four of them slumped together. Both of Sasuke's shoulders had been taken up as pillows by Hinata and Naruto, the latter of the two softly snoring in the raven's ear. Ino had pulled Naruto's jacket up so high that she could only see the top of her blonde head resting against the Uzumaki's chest. Tenten turned her head away from them to look at Neji who was taking another sip of his beer. She leaned over and kissed his cheek, a subtle warmth passed between the two of them.

"This is nice." She said and Neji grumbled next to her.

"We've spent all this money on a wedding and we aren't even apart of it." He said with a shake of his head.

"Hmmmm. I think I like this better." Tenten shrugged and cuddled into his side a bit more. "Admit it, you do too."

"We should have eloped like you suggested."

Tenten giggled and leaned into his side. She would have _loved_ to have gotten eloped but hell would have frozen over before the Hyuuga elders allowed that to happen to their head. With a shrug of her shoulders, she closed her eyes as Neji pulled her in closer to his side.

"One day you'll learn that I'm always right."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **H is for Growth**

 _"Well, I've never been given an actual choice to decide what I want. Everything that's been given to me are things that I'm supposed to want. I've never had time to figure out what I really like, just what I don't."_


	8. H is for Growth

**CCNote:** **Some of you have gotten good at predicting the layout of this nonlinear story. That makes me happy.**

 **This chapter is the one that has been bouncing around in my head for days. I see it in my sleep and when I daze off into space during the day. I personally enjoyed writing this and I hope you like reading it.**

 **Don't forget to leave a REVIEW, they are literally what keeps me writing! Enjoy!**

 **H is for Growth**

 **Thursday, June 7, 2018, 10:31 am**

 **Makinohara- Akatsuki Fireworks**

 **….**

"Okay so now add the pow- too much! Too much!"

Hanabi held her breath and narrowed her eyes at the small aluminum canister precariously clutched between her forefinger and thumb. The black powder she was supposed to be pouring into it was not _that much off_ but Deidra was highly specific with his measurements. There was an art to making things go 'boom' and he did not tolerate sloppiness. The blonde man took the small canister from her possession and used a thin silver scrapper to level the powder off. Hanabi unsuccessfully blew an errant lock of hair out of her face in irritation. For someone who seemed so eccentric, Deidra was _very anal._

She snickered at her own use of profanity in her mind. Deidra wasn't all that bad though, in fact, his craft was rather interesting. Learning how to make explosives was not something she expected to be doing with her summer but she'd rather be doing this than touring her future college campus. Plus, if she learned quickly enough she might actually be able to show Itachi her own handmade fireworks. Deidra was a decent teacher. In a few days time, with his help of course, she'd be able to see her own creations light up the night sky.

'Speaking of Itachi.' Hanabi thought as she plopped down on a wobble barstool beside Deidra's ashy workbench. 'He hasn't made any more mentions of leaving.'

The eighteen-year-old rested her chin in her hand, uncaring that her fingers left sooty prints on her skin, and watched Deidra work his magic. Since Itachi wasn't in any rush to leave maybe that meant that her plan had worked. Maybe he'd found a reason to stay...

 _The cool breeze lifted off of the ocean and blew up towards the deck, ruffling the hair of the Hyuuga and Uchiha. With barely suppressed growl Hanabi pushed some of her hair out of her face, determined not to be distracted. Itachi lazily yawned before laying his cards down on the weather-beaten deck. A royal flush. Hanabi's mouth dropped open in utter disbelief._

 _"You're fucking cheating!" She hissed and Itachi shrugged his shoulders at her accusation._

 _"You're the one that wished to play this game. It's not my fault I'm better."_

 _Hanabi stuck out her tongue in a show of immature defiance and jumped to her feet. Itachi may have won the battle but he hadn't won the war. The last of the brownies from the diner were still up for grabs. She'd be damned if she let Itachi get the last one. They had been made from scratch by Izumi and they weren't available on the regular menu. They were like an explosion of chocolate in your mouth and she and Itachi had spent most of the night pilfering them behind each other's backs until there was only one left. Just the memory of the chewy, chocolate goodness had her mouth watering. She had to act casual though. If Itachi sensed that she was going to circumvent their bet he was likely going to try to stop her._

 _"Well, you win I guess." She sighed, inching closer towards the living room. Itachi narrowed his dark eyes at her suspiciously._

 _"Hanabi." He said warily as he started to rise up to his feet as well._

 _The Hyuuga shuffled backward more quickly as he rose to his full height, his broad frame towering over her._

 _"Oh, would you look at the time? I think I'll just-"_

 _Before Itachi could even blink she'd bolted into the living room where the plastic container of brownies was sitting on the coffee table. Just as her fingers brushed against the clear box, Itachi's long arm reached over her and snatched it away._

 _"We had an agreement." He said with a disappointed shake of his head. "To think you would stoop so low to betray me."_

 _He raised the box up high out of the reach from Hanabi's grubby fingers. She tried to jump to get the container but Itachi was just too tall. Damn Uchiha genes._

 _"You shouldn't be eating brownies in the first place. " Hanabi pouted. "Sugar is bad for old people!"_

 _"Old." Itachi repeated incredulously, unaware that he was lowering the box as he did so. "Old? I am not old."_

 _"Well, you're certainly not a spring chicken." Hanabi teased and snatched the box away from him._

 _Her feet immediately sprang into action as Itachi tried to reclaim the box. Luckily the fact that she was smaller than him meant that she could skirt around him more easily without getting caught. Quickly she opened the box and grabbed the last brownie inside as he chased her around the living room. Itachi was still much faster than she was, even if he was old. He swiftly gained on her and picked her up as if she weighed nothing at all. The room turned upside down as he slung her over his right shoulder and she let out a squeal of surprise. The motion was so sudden she almost lost her grip on the brownie which would have been a tragedy. His right arm kept her hooked in place so that no matter how much she moved she wasn't getting out of his grip._

 _"Don't you dare eat it." He threatened and she squirmed limply on his shoulder to get down but Itachi wasn't letting her go._

 ** _Knock Knock Knock_**

 _"Put me down and get the door." Hanabi huffed, seeing now as the perfect time to escape._

 _"This is punishment." He said and smacked the back of her thigh with his free hand as he headed towards the front door. "You'll run away with the brownie as soon as I put you down anyway."_

 _Hanabi rolled her eyes, stopped wiggling, and took a bite of the brownie. The confectionary was already within her grasp anyway. It was awkward eating upside down but worth it. She didn't care about being carried around either. More than likely it was just Deidra coming to bug Itachi instead of running his shop like a responsible adult. The door to the beach house creaked open but the voice of the visitor was distinctly feminine._

 _"Good mor- oh...did I come at a bad time?" The voice asked and Hanabi instantly recognized it to belong to Izumi. Without the loud clattering of noise in the diner in the background, it was odd to hear her voice._

 _"No." Itachi replied flatly, shifting the teen like a sack of potatoes on his shoulder. "Someone is just being a traitor this morning."_

 _"Hey! I'm doing you a favor by eating this!" Hanabi quipped and took another bite of the brownie. "Beswithc you're twoof wold to emboy it- ow!"_

 _Hanabi glared at the floor and tried not kick Itachi for hitting her thigh yet again. So much for people thinking he didn't abuse her._

 _"What did I say about talking with food in your mouth?"_

 _"Don't do it blah, blah, blah."_

 _"Maybe I should come by another time." Izumi said, her clear discomfort seeping into her voice. "You just left your jacket at the diner and I-"_

 _"You should stay." Itachi interrupted and put Hanabi back down on her feet._

 _His dark eyes narrowed when he saw that she'd already eaten half of the brownie. Being under his scrutinizing gaze actually made her feel a bit guilty. He had won the bet fair and square after all but the brownie was just so good! She hadn't had anything this good since they'd left Konoha! Itachi couldn't blame her for this! He should take her places that actually had good food. Unfortunately her conscious got the better of her and she begrudgingly handed Itachi the rest of the brownie._

 _The Uchiha's eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment before he smiled at the peace offering. For a brief second Hanabi thought that all might be forgiven but instead, he took the brownie and simultaneously pushed her out of the door. He then pulled a confused Izumi into the house with his free hand._

 _"Be back by sunset." He said and shut the door..._

Hanabi sighed at the memory and lazily swiveled around on the rickety barstool. She'd had to knock for a good three minutes before Itachi answered the door again so that she could get her shoes. She hoped that her exile wasn't for naught. Since Itachi hadn't mentioned leaving that could mean they were staying longer. If they were staying longer she hoped Itachi was able to convince Izumi to make more of those brownies. This time she would horde two or three in her room...for safe keeping of course.

"All done!" Deidra announced, clapping loose soot off of his hands.

The black powder got on their clothes but Hanabi didn't mind too much. Whatever Deidra had made today was probably going to look great. The blonde wiped his hands off on the front of his pants and turned a big bright smile in her direction.

"Wanna head out and get ice cream?" He asked hopefully and Hanabi rolled her eyes.

"How do you make any money when you're always ditching work?"

"I'll have you know I make plenty of money. I keep the lights on don't I?"

Hanabi shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. Keeping the lights on was not enough in her opinion. Besides the only ice cream shop here sucked. They didn't have any good flavors and all of the ice cream had a weird powdery taste to it.

"No ice cream." She said and hopped off the barstool.

Deidra pouted and followed her from his workshop in the back to the main storefront. The teen then turned the sign on the door from closed to open and turned on all the lights. Hanabi then went behind the counter and pulled out two dusty orange aprons that hadn't seen the light of day in a while. When she shook them out the cloud of dust they created made her and Deidra cough. Once they were moderately wearable she handed one to Deidra and put the other one on herself. The blonde clutched the slightly less dusty apron in his left hand, bottom lip quivering with disappointment.

"But what about the ice cream?" He asked and Hanabi poked him in the chest.

"No ice cream. Only money." She said and the promise of money perked him up a little bit.

The thought of helping Deidra run his fireworks shop actually made her feel a little excited. She didn't have any plans for the day so this was much better than wandering around aimlessly. She'd never had any kind of a job before so at the very least this would be interesting. The bell above the door rang and Hanabi immediately turned around to assist their first customer.

 **….**

 **Thursday, June 7, 2018, 5:45 pm**

 **Makinohara**

 **….**

The sun was just beginning to set as she walked up the sandy sidewalk to the Uchiha property. Soft gradients of oranges and pinks were seeping into the perfect blue sky, darkness would be upon them soon. Shops pulled down their metal barriers and bars started to turn on their lights, the entire area changed in preparation for a small but lively nightlife. Hanabi was a bit curious about how the area transformed itself at night. At night, if she was out on the deck, she could faintly hear the loud music and cheers down the opposite stretch of the beach. It sounded like people were having fun and part of her wanted to join but as always she had to be back before the sun completely set. The curious part of her wasn't strong enough to defy Itachi in that aspect.

Hanabi smirked and shook her head. The angriest she'd seen him was today when she backstabbed him for a brownie and, even then, she doubted that he was actually mad. She didn't want to see him actually upset or stress him out more than he already was. The Hyuuga bit her bottom lip and ran her fingers through her hair worriedly as she thought about the root cause of the Uchiha's stress. The only negative about being here in this little beach town was being completely disconnected from the outside world. It'd only been a week but it felt like forever. If she had access to the internet she'd be able to look up the uses for the multiple bottles of prescription pills Itachi kept in his room. She'd be able to find out what was wrong with him and maybe even be able to help him. Right now she felt like more of a burden. That was probably why he hadn't wished for her to accompany him on this trip in the first place.

"Hey, Hanabi!" A cheery voice called from the other side of the narrow street, breaking the Hyuuga from her thoughts.

Moegi waved brightly in her direction, Konohamaru at her side with an almost blank expression. The energetic girl looked both ways before crossing the street and pulled Konohamaru with her towards Hanabi. The Hyuuga's heart began to beat faster the closer they came, her mind whirling with excuses she could come up with to get out of having a conversation with them. None came up in time and she was left standing awkwardly in their presence. Moegi wrapped her arm around Konohamaru's and smiled brightly at her. Guilt ate the edges of Hanabi's conscious.

"I'm glad we spotted you!" Moegi said happily. "I thought we wouldn't run into you again before we left."

"Oh good." Hanabi said flatly but her sarcasm was lost on Moegi.

The brunette raised an eyebrow at Konohamaru but he was pointedly not looking at her. He clearly hadn't told Moegi that he'd run into her on the beach the other day. If he had Moegi would not be treating her this eagerly.

 _If she knew..._

"We are having a party tonight to mark our one month anniversary."

"One month huh?"

"Yea it's been one month since our parents introduced us to each other. It sounds like a short time but it feels so much longer you know?"

 _If she knew she wouldn't be telling her this information so easily._

"It's not going to be anything big but I thought it would be a good idea to invite one of Konohamaru's friends to join."

"I don't think-" Hanabi started but Moegi let go of Konohamaru and took one of the Hyuuga's hands into both of hers.

"It will be lots of fun and I'd like to get to know you."

 _If she knew she would never say things like that._

"I'm sorry." Hanabi said as politely as she could while slipping her hand out of Moegi's grasp. "I'm busy tonight."

"Busy doing what?" Konohamaru asked a bit too quickly. Moegi looked at him curiously, surprised by his sudden interest in Hanabi's plans for the night.

"None of your buisness." The Hyuuga quipped.

"Mo. Why don't you go on ahead? I'll catch up." Konohamaru said, his brown eyes boring holes into her pale ones. Moegi looked between them worriedly, the tension that sprang up was almost palpable.

"But-" she started to say but her evident training to be a good future wife kicked in and she swallowed her protest. "Ok. I'll let the others know...Hanabi...it was nice seeing you again."

Hanabi watched the girl depart but her presence still remained on the Hyuuga's guilty conscious. It made her feel sick. Her stomach tossed and turned as Konohamaru took a step closer to her. Flashbacks of their kisses on the beach came back in full force and made her want to vomit. She was a horrible person. How could she let herself become overwhelmed like that? She should have never kissed him back. She should have never entertained his presence near her in the first place. His hand reached out to touch her but this time she smacked it away.

"What do you think you're doing?" She hissed, her eyes darting around the street to see if anyone noticed Konohamaru's lapse in judgment.

If the Senju owned most of the properties in the town then that meant that there was a spotlight on the heir. It appeared as though Moegi was ignorant of what had happened between her and Konohamaru on the beach but it would only be a matter of time before she grew suspicious. She might already have her doubts since Konohamaru had sent her away without much of an explanation. Luckily it appeared as though none of the people preparing their shops had noticed but that did not put her at ease. She needed to get as far away from Konohamaru before they said or did something they would both regret. Hanabi didn't even look at him as she continued past him and towards her trek to the Uchiha beach house. She could see the property at the top of the hill, if she walked continued at this pace she'd arrive within the safety of its weathered walls in no time.

"Hanabi please don't make me chase after you." Konohamaru groaned as his long legs kept pace with hers.

"I never asked you to." She snapped back and picked up her pace. "Go catch up with your girlfriend. There was no reason to send her away."

The Uchiha property wasn't far at all at this pace. She picked up her speed but Konohamaru easily matched her although he was breathing heavily to keep up. Inwardly Hanabi rolled her eyes, Konohamaru had gotten soft. Once she reached the beach house, she scurried up the porch steps two at a time but a second set continued to follow her.

"Hanabi-" he huffed at the top of the stairs. "About the other day on the beach. Don't mention it to Moegi."

"Why the hell would I do that?" Hanabi snorted and reached for the doorknob. " I'm not going to your stupid anniversary party. Besides, she's your girlfriend. You tell her. Now leave."

Konohamaru didn't listen and instead reached behind her and twisted open the doorknob. The front door swung open easily because Itachi had anticipated her returning home around this time and had left the door unlocked. She could smell warm chocolate baking in the oven they never used but she couldn't even enjoy it. The sight of Konohamaru in this space completely disrupted the safety that she usually felt here. He didn't belong here. A strange sense of unreasonable panic started to swirl in the back of her mind. She had nothing to hide. Why did she feel so scared? She followed him into the house and the door slamming behind her sounded louder than usual. He walked around her and into the small beach house. The sliding glass doors had been closed for the evening and all of the lights were on. They'd done a pretty decent job of cleaning the place up overall but the look of distaste on Konohamaru's face suggested that he did not agree with that sentiment.

"You gave up being elevated to the position of heir for _this_?" He said dryly as he looked around the simple space.

"The position of heir was never supposed to be mine to begin with." Hanabi retorted, not appreciating his tone in the slightest.

"You would rather live here in a shitty beach house than be with me?"

"First of all, this isn't a 'shitty beach house'. Second of all, if being with you means having to force my sister into a marriage she doesn't want then I guess I can't be with you. I didn't make those terms. Your family did and you went right along with it."

"Hanabi you know things are complicated-"

"Well, I uncomplicated them. We aren't together anymore. You have a girl that will satisfy your family. Congratulations. Leave."

Konohamaru shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. His brown eyes looked at her with a mixture of disbelief and longing that made her feel extremely uncomfortable. That is until his eyes shifted away from her and towards the hall when they heard the sound of a door opening.

"Hanabi." Itachi called calmly, his deep voice reverberating off the walls with his approach.

Hanabi turned around towards the hallway to see Itachi's imposing frame enter the living room. He had bags under his eyes which were a bit red, almost as though he'd been waking up from a nap. His dark grey pajama bottoms hung low on his hips and he'd neglected to put on a shirt. That in itself wasn't odd. Itachi never slept with a shirt on but now it felt...indecent. Hanabi tore her eyes away from him guilty.

"Who is this?" He asked and Hanabi awkwardly rubbed her right arm.

"Konohamaru Senju and he was just leaving." She answered and the boy scoffed.

"Like hell I'm leaving you here with- with him!" He hissed and grabbed Hanabi's upper arm. His fingers dug into her flesh causing her to yelp at the painful sensation. She tried to wrest her arm away but it only made Konohamaru hold onto her tighter as he marched towards the door.

"Let go of her." Itachi said, his voice low but threatening.

Konohamaru spun around so fast that Hanabi almost got whiplash as her body was forcibly turned around as well. He didn't let go of her as he marched right up to Itachi and glared at him. Itachi was still a head taller and slightly broader than Konohamaru's athletic frame but the teen remained unintimidated.

"You should be ashamed of yourself." He spat. "You're fucking sick."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hanabi protested, pushing against his arm to force him to let her go. "Let me go!"

"He's hurt you hasn't he? That's why you're all the way out here alone with him isn't it?"

Hanabi and Itachi both froze at Konohamaru's accusations. She hadn't expected him to take things in _that_ direction. His nails dug dipper into her skin and although Hanabi had a rather high pain tolerance she couldn't help but cry out. His nails were inadvertently drawing blood. Konohamaru had gotten soft, he didn't even realize his own strength the way he used to.

"You're hurting me. Let go!"

In the next instant two things happened. First, she was released from Konohamaru's grasp, her own feet stumbling forward from the imbalance. Second, Konohamaru was on the ground clutching his left eye. Itachi stepped towards the boy he'd just punched to the floor but Hanabi quickly jumped between them. She pressed her hands against Itachi's bare chest and she almost jumped at how hot his skin felt beneath her fingertips. It was almost as if his skin was on fire. She could feel the minuscule trembling of his muscles as he struggled to maintain his composure. His dark eyes looked down into her own and she could see a small crack in his cold mask, a glimpse of the fatigue that he was trying to tamp down. Without breaking from his gaze, she opened her mouth.

"Konohamaru...please leave...before I call the police."

It was a lie of course. Their phones were essentially paperweights but Konohamaru didn't know that.

"Hanabi!" He said in disbelief as he slowly rose up from the ground. "If anything he needs to be arrested!"

Her right arm tinged a bit with pain from Konohamaru's nails digging into her skin. That pain would be nothing compared to what she would do to him if he didn't _get out_. She wouldn't go to such drastic measures, would she? Yet as she felt the Uchiha's rapid heartbeat she knew she had to get Konohamaru out of here. Itachi was a prideful man and she would not allow his pride to be tarnished by an outsider seeing a moment of his weakness. It was something that even she should not bear witness to. She tore her eyes away from him and glared at the teen staring at them dumbstruck with one good eye.

"Leave _now_!" She shouted, causing Konohamaru to stiffen.

For a brief moment she thought that he would remain stubborn and stay but he finally gave in to her request. When the front door swung open a strong gust of wind swept in with it and chilled the occupants to the bone. The door slammed behind him loudly and Hanabi let out a breath of relief. Itachi stepped away from her and with his distance, the heat from his skin faded from her fingertips.

"Pack your bags." He commanded stiffly as he straightened his back. "We are boarding the first train in the morning."

"Wait-what?' Hanabi asked breathlessly, shocked by his sudden direction. "I've got to help Deidra in the morning with his shop. There's a bunch of back order fireworks he has to complete and-"

"Deidra can handle his own orders." Itachi snapped and turned on his heel to head back down the hall.

"You just want to boss me around like everyone else. You're not even taking into consideration what I want to do before picking up and taking off!"

Hanabi scurried behind him as he stopped in front of her door instead of his own. He wrenched open the door causing it to slam into the adjacent wall. He pulled her empty suitcases out from under the bed and unzipped them. The Hyuuga could only stand there confused as he methodically removed her clothing from the dresser drawers and began packing her things into her suitcase for her. He paused for a second when he noticed the box of sparklers Deidra had given her but tossed those into the suitcase as well.

"Itachi." She protested. "Please let's stay. What about Izumi? Have you even told her your plans for leaving?"

"Izumi is a nonfactor. I told you three days." Itachi replied simply and dumped the top drawer filled with socks into her suitcase. "We are leaving."

Hanabi snatched the now empty drawer away from Itachi and tossed the container onto the bed.

"Stop, please stop." She whispered and reached out to touch his arm. His body temperature was much too high. "You're burning up Chi."

The Uchiha's shoulders slumped as he took shallow breaths in an attempt to control himself. Soon his knees gave out and he sank down in front of her. His forehead rested against her stomach, perspiration seeped through the thin material of her shirt but she only weaved her fingers through his hair and pressed him closer. Short breaths brushed against her and she rubbed the pads of her fingers against his scalp. It was the only thing she could think of to do to calm him. When his breathing finally evened out she gently pulled his head away from her stomach and stared down into his tired eyes. He'd exerted himself too much today.

"You shouldn't have hit him." She said softly as he pressed his forehead back into her stomach.

"How do you expect me to stand there and do nothing when some punk is hurting you?" He sighed.

"I can handle myself just fine without your help."

"You are my responsibility."

"I think the word you're looking for is burden."

At that statement, Itachi lifted his weary body to its feet and stepped away from her.

"Hanabi... you aren't a burden." He said and made his way towards the door.

"Like I believe that. You're a liar anyway." She grumbled more to herself than him. He still caught every word.

"We are leaving at sunrise. Be ready."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **I is for Mothers**

 _"These boys will be the death of me." She sighed. "At this rate, I'll never have any grandchildren to spoil."_


	9. I is for Mothers

**CCNote** **: Katarina-Hime, you are the 100** **th** **reviewer! Congratulations! The only prize I can give is updating hella early. So you can all thank her for a double post!**

 **Also had to up the rating cuz I can't help but write lemons. If you're underage don't read this. Christmas is right around the corner so Santa is definitely watching you!**

 **To everyone else old enough, please continue and don't forget to leave REVIEW! Enjoy!**

 **I is for Mothers**

 **Saturday, May 1, 2019, 11:27 am**

 **Uchiha Penthouse**

 **….**

"Mother-"

"Hush you're breaking my concentration."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, resigned to just lean against the doorframe and watch as his sons were subjected to their grandmother's wishes. She'd dressed both boys in identical dark blue sailor suits that she'd seen while shopping online and _just had to purchase._ He'd told his mother several times to stop shopping online for the boys but she refused to listen. Hiroto and Hajime grew so quickly that it didn't make sense to for her to keep buying things, expensive things at that, for them to wear. Most of their items were ruined by weird baby stains that they couldn't get out. The clothing that they _were_ able to clean properly were only able to survive a couple of wears before they became too small.

It felt like every time he turned around the boys had grown an inch. It was a bit unsettling really. They were already starting to pull themselves up and it wouldn't be long before they were walking with assistance. Were children supposed to grow this quickly? If he hadn't made the decision to lighten his workload he would have missed all of this. Although, while he enjoyed spending more time with his family he would have rather been absent for _this._

Mikoto Uchiha was crouched low on the nursery floor, poised precariously with an outrageously expensive camera around her neck. She'd claimed that she'd bought a new camera just because but Sasuke felt as though she'd bought it to torture his children. At least twice a week she came up to the penthouse with her camera fully charged and bags of clothing and toys for the boys. They were beginning to run out of room for all of her purchases. It was getting to the point where Sasuke was tempted to move if only to get away from Mikoto's antics. However, Hinata shared a mutual love of dressing the boys up to be as adorable as possible and she and his mother bonded over their new hobby.

The boys were used to their grandmother though and she was one of the only people they tolerated. They didn't like their grandfather, Fugaku, too much for some weird reason. Maybe it's because he never smiled as much as Mikoto did or perhaps he wasn't as cuddly. Whatever the case was they always squirmed until their grandfather returned them to friendlier arms. Currently, they didn't seem to mind their forced photo shoot. Hiroto was too busy trying to remove his sailor cap from his head and Hajime was spread out on the rug fighting a potential nap.

"Mother." Sasuke groaned again. If Hajime took a nap now before lunch it would throw off his sleeping schedule for the rest of the day. He'd be damned before he let that happen. "Feeding time is at twelve sharp. If I don't start now their sleeping schedule-"

"Just a few more..." Mikoto replied distractedly as she continued to click away. "There!"

She stood up with a satisfied grin on her face and finally turned to her attention to her son.

"Sleeping schedules and feeding times huh? I'm happy to hear you say that." She said wistfully and Sasuke raised a curious eyebrow. "I don't think your father would even understand those phrases."

Sasuke pushed himself off of the doorframe and into the nursery. While his mother never complained, not even once, he knew that it had been hard for her to essentially raise two sons alone. On some level, he'd always known this facet of his parents' relationship but now that he was a father he couldn't understand it. Why was his father able to separate himself like that? How had his mother been able to balance it all without his help? Why didn't she resent Fugaku for all those years of neglect?

The Uchiha shook his head at the thoughts and picked up the twins into his arms. Dwelling on his parents' relationship was not something he'd planned on doing on a Saturday afternoon. Mikoto followed him out of the room with her camera bag slung over her left shoulder and making funny faces at Hajime. Mikoto didn't play favorites but Hajime enjoyed her playful spirit a little more than Hiroto. Sasuke led his mother towards the front door and was surprised to find her hesitating behind him when he turned around. She adjusted the strap of her bag, smiling at them all the while but there was a distinct undercurrent of sadness in her expression. She stared at them as though trying to commit this moment to her memory forever.

"Sasuke. _" Mikoto said softly as she took a step closer to him. "I must have done something right."_

She then placed a gentle kiss on the boys' foreheads and looked up at her youngest son. She reached out and cupped his cheek with her warm slender hand, staring up into eyes that she'd given him. No matter how much taller he got or how old he was, his mother continued to possess the ability to make him feel like a child. Uchiha patriarch? Pft! In Mikoto's eyes, he was still her little boy clinging to the bottom of her skirt. She stood up on her toes, careful not to squish the twins and kissed both of his cheeks.

"I would say I'm proud of you." She smirked as she lowered herself back down. "But when are you going to get married huh?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and shook his head. Those gestures earned him a quick smack on his arm.

"Ow!"

"Don't roll your eyes at _me_ mister! When are you going to make an honest woman out of Hinata? You can't just keep playing house forever! The great aunts are already starting to talk-"

"Mother-" he sighed and she waved off his protest.

"I'm just saying. You should propose soon before she realizes she's too good for you." Mikoto teased and opened the front door. She blew kisses to the twins and stepped out. "See you in a few days! I found the perfect little picnic outfits online!"

 **….**

 **Saturday May 1 2019 12:10pm**

 **Uchiha Penthouse**

 **….**

 _"Are they eating?"_ Hinata's slightly muffled voice asked through the phone.

Sasuke frowned as a smashed piece of tomato was thrown at him. He was barely able to dodge the projectile in time. Hajime and Hiroto weren't eating per say. Some of the food got into their mouths but most of it was being used for target practice with himself as their preferred target. He wouldn't tell Hinata that though. If she knew how little they were actually eating she'd practically teleport back to the penthouse.

"They're eating." Sasuke lied and scooped green baby food onto a spoon.

He held up the portion to Hiroto's mouth and was rewarded with the boy's little nose scrunching up in distaste. Why the hell were they so picky? Ito ate everything put in front of him. Why did Naruto have to get off so easy with such an agreeable child?

 _"Are you sure?"_ Hinata whispered. _"They seemed a little fussy this morning when I left. Maybe I should come back."_

"No!" Sasuke said a little too quickly. He adjusted the phone a little better between his shoulder and ear, clearing his throat as he did so. "I mean it's fine. The boys are eating."

"I don't-"

 _"What are you doing?"_ Another voice interrupted. _"Get out of here now! This is supposed to be a girl's day! No sneaking!"_

 _"But Ino!"_

 _"No buts!"_

The phone went silent next to his ear and Sasuke let out a sigh of relief. Today was one of the rare times that Ino and Tenten had been able to convince Hinata to leave the house without the twins in tow. Even though it was only for a few hours the Hyuuga woman swore up and down that the boys needed her. While it was true that the boys were especially partial to their mother's presence they would be able to survive without her for a little while.

The Uchiha patriarch set his phone down in his lap and went back to trying to tempt Hiroto into eating. His attempts were...unsuccessful to say the least. On his lap, he felt his phone vibrate but he didn't answer it. It was only going to be Hinata paranoid calling for them from a bathroom stall or from behind a bush to check up on them again. When his phone stopped vibrating he shook his head and placed the neglected spoon back into the jar of baby food.

"You've turned your mother into a crazy woman." Sasuke grumbled but the boys didn't care. They continued to squish bits of tomatoes between their fingers and his phone started vibrating again.

 **….**

 **Saturday May 1 2019 5:01pm**

 **Uchiha Penthouse**

 **….**

The penthouse was a bit dim when she returned. The pinks and oranges of the sunset painted their home in a welcoming warm glow and reminded her that she had arrived much later than she'd anticipated. She'd only meant to be gone for a girls breakfast. At least, that's the lie that Tenten and Ino had told her. In truth, they'd kidnapped and guilt-tripped her into staying out all day. She enjoyed spending time with her friends but she felt antsy being away from the twins for so long even if it was for only a few hours.

Now that she was within the threshold of her home she felt as though a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. Here was where the twins were and with any luck they hadn't murdered their father while she was away. As she removed her shoes she strained her ears to hear the sound of the television in the living room or toys being thrown in the nursery but everything was quiet. It was so quiet she could actually hear herself think which was a rare phenomenon these days.

Curiously she stepped out of the foyer and headed towards the living room. The spacious room was cluttered with stuffed animals and blocks. Toy cars were overturned and sofa cushions had been removed. There was a bag of puffs opened, it's contents strew haphazardly on the hardwood floor. In the middle of the chaos were her Uchiha men. Sasuke was laying on his back, his arms and legs spread wide. In his right hand, he held a wooden block while the left was resting on top of Hajime's head. The boy in question was sleeping soundly on his father's chest, his small body rising and falling with each of Sasuke's breaths. Curled into his right side was Hiroto, his little face buried deep into his father's ribs.

Her breath caught in her throat as she watched the three of them sleeping together. Her eyes began to feel as though they were burning and she fanned them to keep from crying. Hinata shook her head and tried her best to maintain her composure but her heart refused to slow down. Seeing her stubborn men look so vulnerable brought forth an emotion she couldn't even name. She turned back to her slumbering family and smiled. If leaving the house meant coming home to a scene like this she would have to leave much more often!

The Hyuuga smiled to herself and moved to pick Hajime up from Sasuke's chest. Judging by the destroyed state of the living room, Sasuke might just lock her up in the house for all eternity. The boys had likely frayed all of his nerves for the day. Quickly she tiptoed to the nursery and placed him in his crib. Once he was down she went back for Hiroto and placed him in his own bed as well. Hiroto whimpered in his sleep from the loss of warmth but he easily settled back down. Hinata returned to the living room again, this time to start repairing the damage the Uchiha had created. She was surprised to find dark eyes staring blearily back at her when she emerged from the hallway.

"Hinata." He groaned as he tried to sit up on his own.

"Good evening sleepy head." Hinata said, holding back her own laugh.

Sasuke's dark hair which had grown much longer over the year was sticking up in all directions and there was a bit of drool on his chin. This was the first time she'd ever seen him look less than perfect. Her smile grew larger as she took in his tired state, she was the only one allowed to see him like this. Sasuke glared at her but the effect was diminished by his disheveled state. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before laying back down.

"It looks as though you had a fun day." Hinata said softly as she took a seat by his side.

Dark eyes narrowed at her but it only made her smile grow larger.

"Your children are terrible."

Hinata leaned over and placed a short kiss on Sasuke lips. Hajime and Hiroto weren't _that_ bad. As she tried to back away from him, warm fingers tangled themselves in her hair and pulled her closer. What was meant to only be a short kiss was deepened by the tired Uchiha who was becoming increasingly alert. His lips moved over hers with practiced skill causing all thoughts of cleaning the living room to disappear from her mind. His teeth nipped at her bottom lip, requesting more access to her mouth which she granted without hesitation.

Kissing Sasuke never got old for her. If anything it only got better with time. He knew exactly how to kiss her to make her knees go weak and her heartbeat slow to a crawl. It made all of the other kisses she'd received throughout her life seem paltry in comparison. The warm glow of the sunset faded and was replaced by the lights of the city peeping through the curtains. Lazily she placed one last kiss on his lips before finally being able to break away from him completely.

Slow, purposeful fingers slid up her wrist and forearm leaving trails of heat in their wake. She shivered. Sasuke sat upright, now completely alert and his dark eyes glazed over with desire. A pool of warmth gathered within her as she basked in that look.

"Sasuke." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He leaned closer to her and placed a warm hand on the back of her neck. His thumb traced her artery reverently before his lips came down to claim it. Her eyes slid closed as she relished the feel of his teeth marking her and his tongue apologizing for the abuse.

"Do you remember the last time I took you here?" He asked huskily and Hinata whimpered.

How could she ever forget? It had taken multiple showers to get all of the blue paint off of her skin. She could feel Sasuke smirk smugly against her neck, undoubtedly recalling the sinful memory as well. Skillful fingers toyed with the edge of her shirt until it became untucked from the waistband of her skirt. Greedily he slid the material past her breasts and over her head, eager to divest her of her clothing. He tossed the material without a care to where it landed and captured her lips once more.

This time his kisses weren't hazed over with sleep. No, his desire was evident as he consumed her lips passionately drawing her closer and closer. While she was distracted by his kiss, his hands made quick work of unclasping her bra and sliding the contraption off of her arms. Once her breasts were free, his lips moved south immediately and he kissed his way down to her nipples. She cried out as he sucked on the tender flesh and he chuckled at her reaction. He would never get tired of how sensitive she was. Hinata continued to moan from his ministrations and weaved her fingers through his dark hair. Even though they were already close she was dissatisfied. She wanted, no- needed more. She was not going to satisfied with being teased or made loved to. She needed him, all of him, now. With only one goal in mind, she reached over for the waistband of his sweatpants and dipped her hand inside. Sasuke sucked in a sharp breath at her boldness but she was pleased to find him already becoming erect for her.

Sasuke's warm length twitched in her grasp, fully enjoying the feeling of her stroking him just the way he liked. The Hyuuga removed her hand from his pants which made him groan in protest. Hinata couldn't help but shake her head at her impatient lover. She couldn't fault his reaction though, she was just as eager as he was. Quickly she removed her skirt and her underwear before pushing Sasuke down onto his back. In half a breath she straddled his waist and impaled herself fully with his length.

" _Fuck_ Hinata." He hissed and she could only moan in response.

Her hips ground against his as much as possible, relishing the feel of completion with him inside of her. Rough hands cupped her ass, gripping the supple flesh tightly as she began to slide off of him slightly. Both of them tried to hold in their moans when she came back down but they weren't doing a very good job. Soon Hinata found a speed that satisfied her, thoroughly taking control of Sasuke's body for her own pleasure. The Uchiha could do nothing except marvel at her writhe above him.

Hinata gripped the material of his shirt tightly as she increased the roughness of her tempo. The sensation caused her to let out a small moan that would have been much louder had they not had children sleeping in the next room. His fingers dug deep into her flesh giving her a delicious mix of pain and pleasure each time her hips met his.

"Sasuke!" She moaned breathlessly. "Sasuke!"

She was so close. The coil in her lower belly was tightening as her walls clenched around him. God, she was so close. She just needed to go harder, faster. She was almost there...

"Fuck!" Sasuke growled and she felt his warm seed spill into her.

She stopped her bouncing, surprised to find that her lover had already cum much sooner than usual. Perhaps she'd been a bit too rough? Guiltily she started to remove herself from him but he grabbed her hips and slid her back into place.

"You." He growled in between fleeting breaths. "Aren't going anywhere."

He then flipped her over onto her back and stared down at her naked body beneath him. She squirmed a bit under his intense gaze, shivering as he removed himself from her throbbing center. She'd been so close and was still impossibly horny. A pale hand caressed her left breast roughly, a possessive look in his eye. Against her thigh, she could already feel him becoming hard again.

"Mine."

Hinata smirked and closed the short distance between their lips with a soft kiss.

"Yours."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **J is for Returns**

 _"You're supposed to be my friend. What kind of friend sleeps with the man her friend likes huh? What kind of friend is that!"_


	10. J is for Returns

**CCNote: So it's that time of year again. That point when I slowly slip into hiding under my kotatsu and feeling depressed. This holiday season will be especially rough since most of the ALTs that made last year bearable have returned to their home countries. I'm never one to not want a day off (why Japan has Thanksgiving in the first place is mind boggling) but I honestly would rather be working. I'd rather be chasing kids out of my holiday costume cabinet and tracking down my Uno cards than sitting at home alone when everyone is posting their holiday pics. While people are eating themselves into a coma I'm reminded that I hate Japanese food (Sugar is not a seasoning dammit!) and cooking anything here can be a chore at times since ovens aren't really a thing. Now I'm depressing myself even more... If this chapter is shit oh well. I just need to do something to distract myself.**

 **Anyway...Enjoy**

 **J is for Returns**

 **Thursday, May 17, 2019, 10:25 am**

 **Hokage Mansion- West Wing**

 **...**

"Wow!" Sakura cooed as she bounced the littlest Uzumaki on her knee. "He's even bigger than the pictures."

Ino nodded her head in agreement, a broad smile on her face as she entered the living room with a tray of snacks and juices. Behind her, an elderly maid fretted over her carrying such things but Ino insisted.

"I can carry a tray Gi." Ino said as she placed the tray on the low coffee table.

"But my lady!" Gi protested, clearly unhappy with Ino's insistence. "You have to allow us to do our work."

"I know, I know. I'll remember for next time Gi. Promise!" Ino smiled and cocked her head slightly to the side. Her friendly smile made Gi soften her own stance and she sighed in defeat before taking her leave of the room. Sakura shook her head as the woman left.

"Who would have thought you would be the one to end up with servants." Sakura sighed. Ino snorted and took Ito from the pink haired woman's lap.

"It's not as magical as they make it out to be in fairytales." She explained, adjusting Ito to a comfortable position on her hip. "They can be really overbearing."

"I heard that!" Gi called from hallway causing Ino and Sakura to laugh.

Once their giggles subsided Sakura leaned back into the plush couch and admired her surroundings. The Hokage mansion was not a place she'd ever imagined getting a peek into but here she was. Playing with her godson with a pile of fancy little sandwiches stacked on a glistening silver tray. This living room wasn't even the more formal one she'd first been brought in to. That apparently was where foreign dignitaries were greeted before being shown to their wings of the mansion. The more formal living room was pristine with cream-colored couches and crystal chandeliers. This room was much more intimate with lots of throw blankets, pillows, and rounded edges to keep Ito from hurting himself.

Sakura smiled as her happy godson sucked on the edge of his distracted mother's shirt. Ino had clearly gotten used to baby drool so it didn't even faze her to feel dampness on her clothing. The pinkette pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and sighed. Ino was a mother now, _of course she would be used to that._

"Alright!" Tenten cheered as she entered the room and plopped down on the couch next to Sakura. "Hinata's almost here. Hiro and Haji must be giving her a hard time this morning."

"Mmmmm I wouldn't say they're the culprits. Sasuke can also be demanding in his own right." Ino smirked, finally removing her soaked shirt from Ito's mouth.

Sakura felt the tips of her ears turn red at the mention of her former boss but she tamped down that emotion. If Sasuke and Hinata were having troubles with their relationship it wasn't any of her business. Even if hearing juicy bits of gossip like this made her feel hopeful she would not allow that hope to grow. Hope only got people hurt.

"So Sakura." Tenten grinned, breaking the woman from her thoughts. "Meet any cute guys out there in parts unknown, ways unknown?"

"Ooo do tell!" Ino added eagerly as she took up residence on the arm of the couch. She shifted Ito to her lap, her blue eyes bright with anticipation. Sakura laughed at her friends' excitement. Her travels weren't that _thrilling_ but it was nice to be the center of attention for once.

"Does becoming a wife make you desperate for the exploits of others?" She teased.

Ino snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Oh please. We just fucked on that very spot you're sitting on this morning."

Sakura shrieked and immediately jumped off of the couch. That was absolutely disgusting!

"I'm just kidding." Ino laughed but her blue eyes still held a mischievous glint to them.

Sakura would have thrown a pillow at her friend or at least pushed her but the woman was untouchable now that she had a baby shield. Ito was blissfully unaware of how evil his mom was and was content to remain in her arms for as long as possible. With a sigh of defeat, Sakura sank to the floor and prayed that Ino and Naruto hadn't desecrated that as well. Ino and Tenten laughed at her expense, fully enjoying the disgruntled look on her face.

"Anyway." Sakura said, cutting through their laughter. "My trip was not about finding a new guy in every city, although I very well could if I wanted too. A sabbatical is meant to take time off to clear the air and find yourself."

Tenten yawned and stretched out on the couch now that Sakura had taken up residence on the floor. She apparently had no qualms about whether the Uzumakis had fucked on the couch or not.

"Is that what they taught you in hippie school?" The brunette asked and Sakura wrinkled her nose.

"It's not 'hippie' it's _holistic_."

"Yea yea anyway."

"Anyway." Sakura reiterated, cutting her eyes at Tenten for the slight. "Now that I've got some experience under my belt I'm going to take part in the Leaf's new holistic medicine program. It's the first year they're doing this. In fact, they're one of the only facilities in Konoha that even offered this kind of program. The dean of medicine is going to be supervising it herself!"

"Wow." Ino whistled, removing another soaked piece of her shirt from Ito's mouth. "I bet that kind of program costs a lot of money. Did you get a scholarship or something? You haven't worked in nearly a year."

"Don't pry into other people's finances Ino." Tenten chided.

"It's not prying I'm just concerned!"

The former roommates continued to bicker back and forth while Sakura wanted nothing more than for a hole to appear on the mansion floor and swallow her up. Ino was absolutely correct in her assumptions. A program like this, especially a pilot program, was very very expensive. There was no way her parents would be able to help her afford the tuition and fees and none of the odd jobs she'd picked up over the year would even make a dent. No, the only reason she was able to afford to go was because the Uchihas had never stopped paying her...

 _Sakura kept her face blank and her shoulders back. Behind her, the other female workers for the Uchiha lamented the recent tragedy that had befallen one of their bosses. Hinata Hyuuga was expecting. The news had been spread throughout the office within twenty-four hours and it was all anyone could talk about. Money changed hands and girls were crying in the bathroom. A large portion of Uchiha employees had expected this outcome but Sakura thought they were full of shit. Sasuke and Hinata still behaved around each other the way they always had and, to her at least, it looked as though nothing was going on._

 _People claimed that it was inevitable that they'd get together but Sakura was skeptical. She'd worked closely with the two of them over the last few months. There had been nothing going on between them...yet...Hinata was still pregnant. Sakura tightened her grip on the thin envelope she held close to her chest. The door to the elevator dinged and she stepped out with the rest of the occupants._

 _Each step towards the office felt heavier than the last. People peaked over the walls of their cubicles and watched as she made her walk of shame. She had been the woman closest to Sasuke. She had been in first place in all of the office betting pools for who would be the one to claim his heart. She was the one who let him slip through her fingers. Sakura ignored their pitying looks with her head held high. She wouldn't have to deal with those stares for much longer._

 _The door to the office was already cracked open, inside she could hear the shuffling of papers and the clicking of keys. This was it. She looked down at the envelope clutched between her fingers. This was the day she walked away from the only man she'd ever loved. Before she talked herself out of it she pushed open the door to the office._

 _On the couch in the center of the room sat Sasuke and Hinata. Both of them had their laptops out and were distractedly typing away, neither one aware that Sakura had entered the room. Sakura wrinkled her nose with distaste that Hinata had stuck her feet under Sasuke's thigh. Just how comfortable were they?_

 _'Comfortable enough to make a baby.' A nagging voice in the back of her head perked up but she swatted the thought away._

 _"Good morning." She said, praying the whole while that her voice didn't crack._

 _She'd applied her makeup carefully this morning and her outfit complimented all of her curves. A simple white blouse and soft pink pencil skirt, nothing fancy but she knew that she looked good. It was the least she could do on a day like this. Sasuke continued to type away at his computer as if he hadn't heard her but Hinata looked up from her work._

 _"Sa-Sakura!" She said, eyeing the envelope in her hands warily. "Goodmorning."_

 _Sakura ignored her greeting and walked right up to Sasuke. It took a moment but he finally looked up at her with those obsidian eyes she'd been daydreaming about for years._

 _"Yes?" He asked and a shiver ran through her body._

 _God she was going to miss his voice. Reluctantly she handed him the envelope and waited for him to open it. His eyes quickly scanned the paper before returning it back into the envelope._

 _"So you're quitting." He said simply and Hinata gasped._

 _"Wait no...thats not..I meant-" The Hyuuga stammered but Sakura interrupted her._

 _"Yes, I am."_

 _Sakura wanted nothing more than to punch something. What right did Hinata have to act surprised? She was the one who wanted her out of the picture anyway. After all, she'd 'recommended' she take a break from working and then be switched to another department. That was an option Sakura wouldn't stand for. She refused to be shuffled around like a jilted mistress to some backwater department. She would leave on her own terms. At least then she would still have her pride._

 _Sasuke placed the envelope on the coffee table and closed his laptop. He then leaned against the arm of the couch, resting his chin in his hand._

 _"Visit HR to have your passwords and authorizations removed from the system."_

 _"Sasuke wait!" Hinata interjected. "Are you sure about this? Sakura...you don't have to quit. I'm sorry-"_

 _"Hinata." Sasuke said warningly and the Hyuuga backed down from her protest._

 _Sakura wasn't quite sure how she made it out of that room without turning into a puddle of tears but she managed. The rest of the day passed by in a blur of well wishes from coworkers and shredding all of her personal files. She never even got to see Sasuke again as everyone waved goodbye to her one last time. Hinata was there, standing in the back as though she wanted to blend in with everyone else. Sakura refused to grant her more than a passing glance. Her pride wouldn't let her acknowledge the guilt written plainly across her face or the hurt in her eyes. All she cared about was getting as far away as possible from the woman who stole her future._

...After that day she'd spent an entire two months volunteering at a various children's hospital throughout the country until she'd run low on funds. Sakura couldn't, or more so wouldn't, ask her parents for help. They had enough to worry about without throwing her own problems into the mix. She was going to have to dip into her savings which was a sizable amount after working for the Uchiha for three years. However, when she called her bank to try to approve a transfer she discovered that she already had two months worth of salary sitting in her account untouched. At first, she thought it was a fluke. Someone had probably made a mistake in accounting and had forwarded her salary. She didn't touch any of the money and instead picked up a side job that same day as a waitress in a local diner.

The money still continued to show up, month after month, without fail. She even received her annual Christmas bonus which was more than it should have been. As the money amassed itself so did that pesky feeling of hope. Sasuke wouldn't keep paying her if on some level he didn't care about her. The money had stopped appearing a month ago around the time that she'd announced that she would be returning to Konoha. Perhaps that was a sign that he expected her to return to work?

Yet again she tried to tamp down that pesky feeling of hope. When she discovered the holistic healing program here in Konoha she knew immediately that she had to enroll. A year of untouched salary was more than enough to cover her first year on the program. If the Leaf were to prove the program sustainable and beneficial to the hospital money would be raised by donors for the pilot class to finish out their second year. Sakura knew that the program would be rigorous but after spending time in the children's hospital she knew that medicine was her calling. The fact that the program was in Konoha was also a plus because now she was back in an environment she was familiar with. Her mother and father were here. Her friends were here. Sasuke was here...

"Are you sure you have everything?" A deep voice grumbled from just beyond the archway that led into the living room.

Her heart hitched in her chest. _Sasuke_.

"Of course." A soft voice replied.

Her heart then sank into the pit of her stomach. _Hinata._

"What about-"

"If she's missing anything she can just borrow Ito's." Ino called out to the disembodied voices.

There was a brief amount of shuffling but soon the new arrivals emerged into the living room. Sakura tried to look unfazed but that was proving to be difficult. She hadn't seen her former boss in over a year yet, somehow, he was even more handsome than before. How was that even possible? He wasn't even trying that hard! Currently, he wore a dark purple dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. She couldn't help but note that the dark color of the shirt complemented his flawless pale skin perfectly. His ebony locks were a bit longer now after a year and almost brushed against his shoulders. The old Sasuke she knew would have never let his hair get that long but it suited him more than she could have ever imagined. What would it feel like to run her fingers through it?

She prayed for him to look in her direction, for him to just acknowledge the fact that she was there. Did her absence have the same effect on him? Did he find her more appealing after being separated for a year? They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and they had been together for three years.

"They have everything, I double checked." Hinata reassured Ino, placing a light hand on Sasuke's forearm.

When the woman noticed Sakura sitting on the floor her face spread into a bright smile. Sakura couldn't help but hate how genuine she looked even though she was loaded down like a pack mule. On each shoulder, she carried two navy blue overnight bags and on her back was a small backpack. Tenten hopped off of the couch to help her unload and the petite woman breathed a sigh of relief once she was released from her burden.

"Welcome back!" She said with a sincerity that made Sakura feel sick.

"Yea...I'm back." Sakura replied.

Obsidian eyes passed over her briefly but she couldn't tell what he was thinking. She tried to smile but it came out as more of a grimace. She could feel Ino's disapproving eyes on the back of her head but she ignored her friend for now. Instead, she focused on the identical black car seat carriers in each of Sasuke's hands. One was covered over with a red blanket and the other in blue. He set down the carrier near the coffee and table and without a word, he and Hinata started lifting the blankets and unbuckling the boys.

"Are you excited to see your friends?" Ino cooed to Ito and the baby boy babbled nonsense in return.

"Of course they are! It's been two whole days. They miss each other!" Hinata said sweetly to the baby in the red carrier.

A morbid sense of curiosity washed over Sakura. Part of her wanted to see the children that Sasuke had sired. She still had daydreams of children with dark hair and green eyes. However, as the child was lifted from the carrier into Hinata's arms, the eyes that the child possessed were not green. They were just as dark as his fathers and an unsettling feeling of satisfaction rose in her chest. Those eyes were Sasuke's eyes. That hair was Sasuke's. Those cheeks, that nose, those chubby little hands. They were all Sasuke's. The Uchiha could never deny the children if he wanted to but no one would be able to tell that Hinata was their mother.

"They did not miss anything." Sasuke said flatly as he removed the second child from his carrier. This one too looked like his spitting image.

"Oh please!" Ino snorted and walked up towards the Uchiha twins with Ito in her arms. "They're already best friends!"

Ito reached out towards the twin in Sasuke's arms but the baby huffed and buried his face into his father's chest. Undeterred Ino turned to Hinata where the same rejection was repeated. Sakura smirked, it appeared as though Sasuke's children were just as antisocial as he was.

"Don't be mean Haji." Hinata said as she tried to push the baby in her arms towards Ito. "You love your friend."

Haji whimpered and threw himself into Hinata's chest, unpersuaded by his mother's coaxing. With a sigh, Hinata placed him on the ground. Ino did the same with Ito who immediately crawled towards the Uchiha twin. He tried pulling on the sleeve of Haji's shirt but the little boy jerked his arm away. Ino turned back to Sakura with a big smile on her face, unfazed at the fact that neither one of the Uchiha twins appreciated their forced friendship.

"Just you watch, they're going to be inseparable in an hour!"

"Yea." Sakura said but she didn't quite see that happening.

She was too busy watching Hinata try to take the other twin from Sasuke's arms. The Uchiha seemed reluctant to part with his son even though his face remained flat. Hinata placed her hands on her hips and stared up at him intently, a wordless conversation passing between them. Sakura's heart skipped a beat. Sasuke had been giving Hinata a 'hard time' as Ino had so simply put it. She shouldn't feel hopeful that their relationship was on the rocks. That was wrong. However...there had to be a reason that he hadn't proposed to her yet. There had to be a reason that he continued to send her money.

Eventually, Sasuke's shoulders slumped and he put his son on the floor with the other two boys. The dark-haired child immediately scrunched up his face in protest and tried to pull himself up using Sasuke's pant leg as support.

"It's only for two days." Hinata said gently as she detached the little boy from wrinkling his father's pants leg further.

Two days? Sakura's curiosity was peaked. What could possibly separate them for two days? Was their relationship really that rocky? No. She shouldn't even be thinking these kinds of things. She pressed a hand against her treacherous heart.

"Two days? This feels like two weeks worth of stuff!" Tenten huffed as she dragged the bags off to the side of the room. "I'm absolutely positive you didn't forget anything."

Hinata smiled at her friend's assessment but Sasuke didn't seem to agree. He crouched down low to where his sons were huddled together in an effort to ignore Ito. Silently he pressed a heavy hand on each of their heads, smoothing down their messy locks. He then stood up and gave a stiff nod in the direction of the other occupants in the room.

 _He's leaving..._

It took a second for it to register in her addled mind but when the realization hit her heart began to race. This was the first time she'd seen him in almost a year, he couldn't be leaving already! Who knows when the next opportunity to see him will come around? Desperately she took in a deep breath. If she could just see him for a few more moments she would be satisfied.

"Leaving so soon?" She asked, proud of the fact that her voice stayed even.

Dark eyes passed over her again, this time for just a bit longer as if he were trying to figure her out. She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and willed herself to not nervously chew on her bottom lip. She wasn't supposed to be feeling like this!

"He's not leaving soon enough!" Ino chided. "Your flight will leave without you if you stick around much longer."

"Hn." Sasuke smirked and turned to Hinata.

There was a softness in his eyes when he looked at her. It was that same look she'd ignore when the three of them were working together in the office. That look was one she'd wished that one day he would bestow upon her. Like sand slipping through her fingers, her hope began to escape. She watched as Sasuke turned away from them, sparing one last glance towards his sons, and took his leave of the living room.

"Finally!" Ino sighed, plopping herself onto the couch. "You'd think he was going off to war or something!"

"It's his first trip away since the twins were born. Of course, he'd be a little anxious." Tenten defended with a smile. "What took you guys so long anyway?"

Hinata averted her gaze as she sat down on the floor next to the boys. Her long dark hair mostly kept her face from view, obscuring her true thoughts.

"He was giving you a hard time wasn't he?" Ino asked innocently and the Hyuuga's head sprung up.

Her entire face was flushed a deep red and her eyes were wide. She cautiously kept glancing at Sakura but the pink haired woman refused to hold her gaze.

"You shouldn't tease her like that Ino." Tenten laughed, a mischevious smile of her own playing at her lips. "How many are there today?"

"How many what?" Sakura asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Nothing!" The Hyuuga replied a bit too quickly to be believed.

"Nothing my ass! I'm going to be shocked if Haji and Hiro don't end up with a sibling soon."

"Ino!" Hinata groaned, covering her flushed face with her hands.

Sakura tried to laugh along with her friends but it just sounded hollow. The girls moved on to other topics, all of which had them in stitches for the rest of the morning. She tried to smile when appropriate. She nodded along with the conversation and spoke up when she didn't feel like her voice would betray her. Yet her eyes kept returning to Hinata more times than she cared to admit.

Hinata Hyuuga, former heiress to the prestigious Hyuuga clan was not one's standard opinion of beauty. That title belonged to Ino who's bright blue eyes and long legs had men drooling after her as soon as she walked into a room. Hinata's beauty was different, subtle even. Her pale eyes were startling the first few times they stared at you. The Hyuuga were the only people she'd come across with such unsettling eyes. When Ino had first introduced Hinata to her she thought that the Hyuuga's eyes were, in a word, creepy. She didn't speak much but her eyes soaked up everything in the room. Those eyes saw everything and beneath them held a mystery that kept most men at a distance.

'Those eyes didn't keep Sasuke away.' She thought bitterly as she watched Hinata pull her long hair up into a messy ponytail.

Once the hair was off of her neck Sakura could see the evidence of the 'hard time' Sasuke had been giving her that morning. A bright red hickey between the crook of her neck and shoulder marred her otherwise pale skin. The sight of it was...disturbing but she couldn't look away. What was it that Sasuke saw in her? Why was Hinata the one who'd been able to capture his elusive affection?

Sakura had asked herself these questions more times than she cared to admit but she always came up empty. There was no reason the two of them should work well together. She shook her head at the thought of them actually being happy. They were only together because of the twins. Sakura watched as the twins hoarded blocks away from Ito and a sharp pain pierced her heart. They were supposed to be friends but she'd stolen the only man she ever loved. She was the mother of his children.

"They could have been mine." She mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?" Hinata asked, that same bright smile returning to her face.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about um books I needed to buy. Yea books!"

"Oh!" Hinata replied as she clapped her hands together. "I almost forgot! When Ino told me you were going to end your sabbatical by going into holistic medicine I started looking through the Hyuuga library for books about it."

The Hyuuga got up and went to one of the large navy diaper bags. After a few minutes of rummaging around, she pulled out a rather hefty looking book. Hinata turned back to her with that genuine smile and handed her the book.

"This book is filled with old home remedies that the Hyuuga used to use for generations." She said. "Most of the recipes have fallen out of use but maybe some of them would be helpful to you."

"Thanks, Hinata." Sakura said distantly as she accepted the gift.

She ran her hands over the untitled maroon cover. When she flipped open the book she found the pages to be all handwritten in different styles by authors who'd added in their own medicinal recipes over the years. If these recipes actually worked a book like this would be invaluable to her work. As she continued to flip through the pages she reached the middle of the book where a small envelop3 had been shoved between the yellowed pages. _No._ Sakura looked up at Hinata who'd moved on to playing with the twins.

 _No._

Green eyes turned back to the book and stared at the perfectly neat script scrawled over the front of the envelope. **Good Luck!** She knew Sasuke's handwriting better than she knew her own. This wasn't his doing.

 _Why would she do this?_

With trembling hands, she opened the envelope just enough to see the standard Uchiha letterhead typed over the top. This was her final check. Realization set in and with it came dull throbbing to the front of her head. This entire time it was likely that Sasuke hadn't thought twice about her. Did he even know what Hinata had been doing behind his back? Why? Why would she do this?

Sakura closed the book and looked back up to Hinata and her twins. It shouldn't hurt this much but she'd been lying to herself this entire time. She'd let hope creep in and just like she knew it would, it hurt. Didn't Hinata realize how much this hurt? How could she sit there and act as though everything was ok, as if she actually cared? Pale eyes caught her staring and smiled back at her, innocent to the knife she'd stabbed in Sakura's heart. Ignorant to just how much Sakura hated her.

"Sakura where are you going?" Ino asked worriedly.

The pink-haired woman hadn't even realized she'd stood up until Ino had said something. Tenten and Hinata stopped playing with the babies to look at her curiously, inadvertently making Sakura even more uncomfortable with their gaze. Without a word she grabbed her bag off of the couch and left the room. Faintly she could hear Ino calling out to her but she ignored the blonde's pleas. She had to get out of there. She thought that she'd be able to handle seeing Sasuke and Hinata but she was woefully mistaken. She'd lied to herself. She'd told herself that she was okay, that she could do this. The truth was that she couldn't.

"Sakura stop!" Ino shouted down the hallway just as she reached the front door of the mansion.

She would have kept going if it weren't for the fact that the doorman was standing in her way. He placed his hand on the doorknob, staring past Sakura with concerned eyes on his breathless mistress. When Ino emerged into the foyer she waved the doorman away for the sake of privacy before forcing Sakura to face her.

"What the hell are you doing? Are you okay?" She asked breathlessly. "What happened?"

"I can't do this." Sakura replied despondently.

"This?"

" _That_!" Sakura hissed, pointing her finger back in the direction they'd just run away from.

"Are you still on that?" Ino huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought you coming back meant you were over Sasuke."

"I thought I was but..."

Her voice caught in her throat. She would have been okay if Sasuke was unhappy. Secretly she'd wished that he would realize what a mistake he made, that he might not be satisfied with the life he had now.

"Sakura I told you in the beginning not to start having feelings for your boss. You didn't listen to me-"

"This is so not the time for 'I told you so's' Ino." Sakura snapped and moved to open the door.

"I'm not trying to rub it in. I'm just saying." Ino sighed but Sakura didn't turn around. "Please just stay. This is the first time you've seen Ito in person...surely you can get through an afternoon for our sake?"

"I'm sorry-"

"We're supposed to be friends Sakura!"

At that statement Sakura whirled around, her fists clutched tightly at her sides.

"Friends? _Ha_! You're still 'friends' with Hinata even though you know how much she hurt me. I wouldn't have sleepovers with the woman Naruto knocked up!" she yelled, her voice bouncing off of the cavernous foyer walls. Ino took a step back from her with eyes that no longer held their usual affection.

"It's not like that and you know it." She said calmly. "Hinata never meant to hurt you but she and Sasuke are happy together and-"

"Like that makes me feel any better." Sakura scoffed and turned back to the front door.

"It's the truth though. Hinata was really worried about you while you were gone. We all were. No one thought you'd disappear for nearly a year but you're here now-"

"Ino...I just can't."

Silence fell over them, one foot already out of the door. Ino let out an exasperated sigh and the sound of her pain registered just a bit over the anger Sakura felt inside of herself. She didn't want to disappoint Ino but she had no idea how she felt right now. Within the course of a year and a half, Ino had landed a loving husband, a cute kid, and a huge mansion staffed around the clock by servants. She was literally living in a fairytale so of course it was easier for her to be oblivious to her friend's hardship. Sakura shook her head, tightening her grip on the doorknob until her knuckles turned white.

"You're supposed to be Ito's godmother. If you can't stay for me. Please stay for him."

The plea tugged at her heart but she knew she couldn't do it. She couldn't go back into that room where the evidence of Sasuke and Hinata's relationship manifested itself within their twins. Within in children that could have been hers. She just couldn't do it.

"I'm sorry."

 ** _To be continued..._**

 **K is for Funerals**

 _Flowers are meant for the living..._


	11. K is for Funerals

**CCNote:** **All of the second years are preparing for exams this week so that means I've got more time on my hands than I know what to do with today. I have to at least pretend like I'm working on something or people start awkward small talk lol. Thanks so much for the reactions last chapter! I always love when a discussion pops up in the reviews. Your opinions are all valid to me and I love reading people's reactions to what I've written. Some of you are dead on with your analysis and it really makes me happy! Although I don't agree that the twins are 'bad babies' as one guest mentioned but that's only because as the author I am a) biased beyond belief and b) I know how they turn out in the end.**

 **This chapter is unreasonably long for two reasons. First, the format of this story will not allow me to break it into parts. It's just not possible since the number of chapters is limited to the alphabet. You will be able to tell where I intended to break this in half though. Second, this just works the best. So, I do apologize for the length. Take a break halfway through or something if your eyes begin to cross.**

 **This chapter, in particular, may raise some questions so don't be afraid to ask me anything in the reviews. I'll answer everything in the next CCNote if it's not something that will be directly/explicitly answered in subsequent chapters.**

 **K is for Funerals**

 **Friday, June 8, 2018, 5:20 pm**

 **Tokai Mountains**

 **….**

The windy road up the mountain was silent save for the sound of the tires running over the gravel road. Outside the car, a light drizzle coated everything in a thin film of mist. The Tokai region was known for its...less than ideal weather. It was nothing like the bright sunshine of Makinohara. She wasn't quite sure where they were going but she hoped that it was somewhere dry with a warm fire. Hanabi sighed and pulled away from the dreary weather in her window. To her left, Itachi had fallen asleep almost as soon as they'd gotten into the car. He never went to sleep last night, instead, she could hear him vomiting well into the wee hours of the morning. Because of that, she hadn't been able to sleep either for fear that if she closed her eyes something horrible might happen to him.

Now that he was sleeping she could see the weariness on his face more clearly. The lines of fatigue on his face were deepening, bags under his eyes becoming darker. He really needed to see a doctor but who was she to recommend such a thing? She had no right to tell him what to do especially when she caused him so much stress. Absently she rubbed her right arm through her newly purchased down coat. She'd cleaned and bandaged her arm herself after her confrontation with Konohamaru. He hadn't meant to leave a mark, that much she knew for sure. He didn't know his own strength anymore but the damage was done. Blood had been drawn. The memory of his nails sinking into her skin sent an unwelcome shiver down her spine.

"We're here." The cab driver announced as he slowed the car down to a crawl.

Hanabi looked up through the foggy windshield to find that they were surrounded by thick evergreen trees in a small clearing. Directly in front of them was a three-story brick mansion, thick green ivy weaving it's way through the masonry. Light could be seen in all of the first-floor windows facing this side of the clearing but the second and third floors remained dark. Was this the right place? Hanabi shook Itachi's shoulder slightly to wake him up. Tired dark eyes looked back at her almost as if he were seeing her for the first time.

"Chi." She said softly and he blinked at the sound of his nickname. "We're here. At least I _think_ we are."

"Mmmm." He mumbled, lifting up a hand to rub the rest of his sleep from his eyes.

It took a moment but soon Itachi gathered his wits about him and paid the cab driver a rather hefty fee for their long trek into the woods. The driver's face lit up at the sum and hastily got out of the car so that he could remove their luggage from the trunk. Itachi got out of the car at a much more leisurely pace and Hanabi slid out behind him. Drenched forest debris squished underneath her boots, mud instantly clinging to her shoes.

"Where are we?" Hanabi asked as they approached the front door.

"We are visiting a friend." He answered simply.

They climbed the up the concrete steps to the front door which was painted an eye-popping red. In the center of the door was a golden knocker in the shape of a lion with a heavy looking ring in its mouth. Itachi used the knocker against the door and then took a step back.

"So we are going to spend time with _another one_ of your weird friends?" She asked teasingly, hoping to inject some kind of humor into the tense air between them.

Itachi smirked at the comment and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

"You could say that..." He replied just as the front door creaked open.

At first, the door was only opened to a crack but a hurried voice inside of the house prompted the door to swing wide open. Standing before them were a man and woman dressed in all black with big smiles on their faces. The man had shockingly orange hair that stuck up in all directions and was a sharp contrast to the darkness of his environment. His face was covered in more piercing than she thought was possible to put on a human face but his bright smile made him less intimidating. He immediately pulled Itachi into a hug, much to the Uchiha's surprise, and didn't let go until his female companion told him to. The woman had bright blue hair and sharp golden eyes, unlike anything she'd ever seen before. Her smile wasn't as big as her fiery partner but it still gave off a calming aura. Outside of their piercings and penchant for dark colors they didn't seem as eccentric as Kisame or Deidra but if Hanabi had learned one thing this summer it was that looks can be deceiving.

"I'm glad that you were able to make it up here despite the rain." The woman said, her voice just as soft as the misty drizzle that surrounded the house. "It's a long journey up the mountain."

"I slept most of the way so it was not so bad." Itachi said with a reassuring smile that their journey had been no trouble at all. The Uchiha then turned his head slightly in her direction and placed a heavy hand on top of her head.

"This is-"

"Hanabi. I already know." the woman interrupted. "Deidra called us in a tizzy this morning because you had whisked away his store manager. He had a lot to say about her."

"All good things I hope." Itachi laughed along with the man and woman and pushed Hanabi closer to the door towards the two.

"I'm excited to have you here Hanabi. I was afraid I'd be the only girl."

"What am I chopped liver?" The orange haired man snorted but his partner waved him away.

"My name is Konan and this knucklehead is Yahiko." She said and moved to make space for the Uchiha and Hyuuga to enter the house. "Let's show you to your rooms. I'm sure you'll want to change into something more comfortable after traveling all day."

The inside of the mansion felt very cozy. The first floor was very open, the kitchen and living room flowed straight into one another with a large stone fireplace between the two. Hardwood paneling covered nearly every surface and red rugs and cream throw blankets were draped over the couches. Adjacent to the front door were the stairs that led up to the second story. Hanabi soaked everything in, relishing the warmth that radiated off of the fireplace. It wasn't the Hyuuga Winter Complex but it was head and shoulders above the places they had been staying.

The warmth didn't last for long though once they went upstairs. On the second floor, they were met with complete darkness until Yahiko felt around on the wall to find the light switch. Once lit, they could see a long hallway with several dark oak doors on either side. At the very end of the hall was another staircase that led up to what Hanabi could only assume was the third floor. Konan led their small group to the second door from the staircase and twisted the burnished bronze doorknob.

"If you wouldn't mind we are going to head up now." Itachi said before she could fully open the door.

"Of course." Konan said with a soft smile.

Hanabi looked at the three adults, perplexed at the silent understanding that passed between them. What was on the third floor? As Itachi and Yahiko stepped away, Hanabi wanted to follow them but something kept her remaining on the second floor. This mansion in the woods...these people...all of it was a new facet of Itachi's life she'd never expected. She bit her bottom lip as she watched their retreating backs climb the stairs. Would there ever be a day that she understood Itachi?

"Are you coming?" Konan asked from inside of the bedroom.

Hanabi blinked. She hadn't realized she'd been so lost in her own thoughts. Konan smiled at her before gesturing towards the contents of the room. It was a modest space with two full sized beds, thick patchwork quilts carefully folded at the foot. At the end of each bed were steamer trunks which the Hyuuga assumed was where she would have to put her clothing since the small room didn't have much space for storage. A westward facing window sat between the two beds and underneath it was a small bedside table. On the wall adjacent to the door was an empty fireplace that looked as though it'd rarely been used before.

'It's going to get a lot of use soon.' Hanabi thought with a shiver.

"It's not much but it will do for your stay." Konan said.

"I think it's perfect." Hanabi replied before plopping onto the bed nearest the fireplace. She couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief as her body sank into the soft mattress. It wasn't as luxurious as her bed back in the Hyuuga compound but it was close. "Oh god!"

Konan's smile grew a little wider at Hanabi's exclamation, satisfied that the room was to the teen's liking. She then moved over to the foot of the bed and opened the maroon steamer trunk. Hanabi sat up and peered over the edge of the bed to see what Konan was doing. She'd expected the trunk to be empty but instead, it was stuffed full of various articles of clothing. Oddly, all of them were either black or gray but they all appeared to be a far cry thicker than anything she'd packed in her suitcase. The older woman pulled out a cable knit grey sweater and a pair of black leggings. She handed the items to a perplexed Hanabi.

"The weather here is a far cry from Makinohara and this house is older than what I'm sure you're used to. It can be really drafty at times." She explained. "After Deidra called us I went into town and picked up a few things. Deidra didn't know your size but he said you were on the small side. I don't know what colors you like so I just got black or gray."

"You didn't have to do that!" Hanabi said, shocked that a stranger would spend so much money on her before they'd even met her.

The entire trunk was stuffed to the gills and she wasn't quite sure how long they were staying. There was no way she was going to be able to wear all of this! Konan only shook her head at the Hyuuga's protest. Her golden eyes were bright with amusement.

"I wanted to." She shrugged and took a seat on the other bed. "I'm usually the only girl so it will be nice to have a change of pace."

Hanabi bit her bottom lip. She didn't quite know what to say. She didn't really interact with older women outside of her sister's friends. They didn't really count either since Hinata's friends didn't come around the compound very often. This woman though...there was something about her that felt familiar. She felt safe.

"What do you do all the way out here in the woods?" Hanabi asked, compelled to know this mysterious woman.

"A little of this, a little of that." Konan replied vaguely. Hanabi scrunched up her nose.

"Doesn't it get boring being out here alone?"

Konan smirked and turned her eyes towards the window. Twilight was falling over the forest.

"The shower room is the first door by the stairs. You might want to get cleaned up a bit."

 **….**

 **Friday, June 8, 2018, 9:10 pm**

 **Tokai Mountains**

 **….**

At first, Hanabi wasn't quite sure what it was about Konan that drew her in like a magnet. The woman was definitely her polar opposite, soft-spoken and graceful. Her hands moved with a calculated purpose and it was interesting to watch her glide smoothly about the mansion. Hanabi followed behind her for most of the evening, studying the woman who didn't mind at all. Konan set her to work helping to fold up all of the down comforters and place them on the beds in the other empty rooms. So far it was only the four of them in this huge house so Hanabi could only assume that more people would be joining them soon.

Once the chores were done, she followed Konan into the kitchen and watched her prepare dinner. It was then, just as she was dicing up a few vegetables, that Hanabi realized what was so familiar about Konan. The golden-eyed woman reminded her of Hinata. She wasn't exactly like her older sister but she still had that same mothering air about her. The thought of Hinata reminded Hanabi that she hadn't been in contact with her family in over two weeks. Neji had likely died of a heart attack by now.

Luckily the mansion was able to get a signal even though it was far away from the main drag of the city. After dinner was finished she rushed back up to her bedroom, eager to talk to her family and to have a bit of privacy. She tried to call Hinata but she never answered her phone. That in itself wasn't too odd. Hinata was pregnant so it was likely that she was just sleeping and didn't hear her phone ringing. She tried to call Neji but his phone was off. Perhaps he actually _had_ died of a heart attack. She should have tried calling her father as well but the thought of him left a sour taste in her mouth.

He reminded her of the price there was to success. Of the toes that needed to be stepped on and the people that were to be bartered in exchange. Konohamaru just didn't understand why she couldn't let her sister essentially get sold off to the highest bidder. He was an only child so maybe that was why didn't get her reluctance but she just couldn't do that to Hinata. Neji and Hinata had bent over backward all of her life to appease her, to watch out for her. They'd kept secrets to protect her. They'd deprived themselves to make sure she was content. She was their burden although they'd never admit it.

Hanabi hated that aspect of their relationship. They were only doing these things out of love but to Hanabi it was just too much. Neji was _too_ overprotective. Hinata was _too_ selfless. That left the youngest Hyuuga empty-handed with nothing to give back to them. All she seemed to do was hurt them. She'd been hurting people since the day she was born. Hanabi frowned and pulled the sweater she was wearing over her head.

No one thought she knew.

No one had explicitly told her.

She was the reason Hinata didn't have a mother. She was the reason Hiashi kept his eldest at arm's length because he reminded him too much of his deceased wife. No one would admit the fact that it was her fault Hikari Hyuuga was dead. Hanabi had been ignorant of her motherless existence for most of her early childhood since it was spent within the confines of the compound. It wasn't until she was exposed to the outside world that she realized she was _different_ from other people. Other people had moms that picked them up from the park when the sun hung low in the sky. She only had Hinata. Other kids had fun lunch boxes with sandwiches cut up into cute little shapes that their mothers had made. Neji made her lunches and there were never any cute shapes.

Hanabi went on a mission to find out what happened. Why didn't she have a mother? Where was she? Did she not want to be her mother anymore? No one answered her questions, the branch members averted their eyes when she asked them. Hinata and Neji were teenagers but they had no idea how to explain death to a precocious eight-year-old properly so they didn't. She never dared to ask her father. Her only choice was to turn to the family registry. There she found her father's name listed first as the current head. The only marriage he'd taken had been to a woman named Hikari and together they'd had two daughters. The space for the date of death had been left empty next to her father's name but her mother's date had been filled in. The date the Hyuuga matriarch died was the same day her second daughter had been born.

At the time, it didn't make any sense. She was much too young to understand the connection but over time she was able to put the pieces together. Hikari Hyuuga was dead because of her. Hanabi frowned at the dark turn her mind had taken. Perhaps it was because of the gloomy aura of the forest that her thoughts had taken such a turn. With a shake of her head, she moved to rummage through her suitcase to find something to sleep in. Konan had stocked the steamer trunk full of flannel pajama sets but Hanabi found the flannel material to be a bit itchy. She preferred wearing one of Itachi's old shirts to bed anyway.

 _Itachi..._

Hanabi paused midway through pulling out a dark blue t-shirt from her suitcase. She still felt guilty for the incident at the beach house, she should have never let it get that far. Seeing Itachi riled up like that was something she never wanted to see again. Absently her hand passed over the fresh band-aid she placed over her arm after she'd taken a shower. It wasn't necessary but she didn't want anyone to see the red marks Konohamaru's nails had left behind.

Sighing, Hanabi pulled Itachi's t-shirt over her head. The guilt that she felt just didn't sit right. She'd claimed that the Uchiha didn't care about her opinion. She'd called him a liar. After everything, he'd done for her this summer despite his condition she still threw it back in his face. Why did she keep hurting people? With a frown, she stared at the door to her room. She'd said hurtful, terrible things to Hinata and Neji when all they were trying to do was make her happy. Even if by doing that it meant giving up their own happiness. She still hadn't apologized because her unreasonable pride kept her from taking that next step. Tonight though, she couldn't allow the guilt to continue to fester.

Hanabi opened the door to her room, the hallway outside was dark and quiet since everyone had retired for the night. Itachi's room was right across from hers so it was easy to find even in the dark. She twisted the knob, relieved to find that it was unlocked, and entered his room. The inside of his room was the same as hers. Two beds, steamer trunks, and a small bedside table. The window faced the east though so it would be the first to be hit by the sunrise in the morning. The fireplace was burning brightly, lending a cozier atmosphere that was a stark difference to the gloomy room she'd just left. Itachi was sitting on the bed to the left side of the window, propped up with pillows and a book in his hand. When Hanabi entered the room, he looked up from his novel, slightly surprised to see her entering his room so late at night.

"I... I know I should have knocked but I didn't want to wake anyone up." Hanabi said hurriedly before Itachi had a chance to reprimand her for the intrusion.

He closed the book he was reading and placed it on the small bedside table under the window. Then he sat up a little straighter, the down comforter falling from his bare chest down to his waist. She took his continued silence as permission to speak but she wasn't quite sure what to say. She hadn't really thought that far ahead. So, throwing caution to the wind, she took a deep breath and blurted out the first thing that popped into her head.

"I'm sorry."

Itachi blinked at her, surprised by her sudden apology. His reaction only caused her to word vomit everywhere.

"I...I'm sorry about last night. I shouldn't have said you only wanted to boss me around. You are bossy but you're not _that_ bad. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you. This is your trip. You didn't have to bring me along but you did. I'm also sorry for calling you a liar. It's just...you never tell me anything." She said and once she started she couldn't stop talking.

"You don't tell me when you're too tired or when you're hurting. I know that you keep pushing yourself to your limits and I don't like it! You're hiding something and you won't tell me why. I know you have your reasons but it feels like you don't trust me. I know that you're sick and I might not know how to help you but you should let me at least try. I don't want to be a burden to you too."

When she had no more words left to say she stopped to catch her breath. Obsidian eyes stared at her curiously as though trying to process all of the things she'd just let tumble from her lips. Even though being under his gaze made her feel incredibly small she felt better for having gotten that off of her chest. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other she turned back towards the door.

"You think I don't trust you." Itachi stated calmly, causing the Hyuuga to pause.

She turned back to face him, a blush of embarrassment spread across her cheeks. He'd completely bypassed her shoddy apology.

"Yes." She said.

If he trusted her, why did he keep so many secrets? Why was it that he knew nearly everything about her but every day was a new discovery when it came to him? He kept himself so closed off that she was barely scratching the surface with the things she did know. Itachi let out a deep breath through his nose and folded his arms over his chest.

"What do you want to know?" He asked.

His question took her by surprise. All she had to do was ask this entire time? Now that she was put on the spot she wasn't sure where to start. The elephant in the room was his illness but she didn't feel it appropriate to jump right out and ask him about that. Itachi wasn't a very open person so baby steps were best. The fact that he was even willing to answer her questions was a step in the right direction.

"Well?" He asked again, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

Hanabi held back a snicker. Clearly, he found amusement in catching her off guard. Two could play that game.

"What is your favorite color?" She asked quickly, walking towards the bed. Itachi lifted the comforter and allowed her to crawl in.

"You can ask me anything and _that's_ your first question?" He scoffed but then inhaled sharply when she pressed her cold toes against his shin in retaliation.

"Just answer the question."

"I don't have one."

Hanabi stopped adjusting the covers and looked up at him surprised. Everyone had a favorite color. Itachi sunk down into the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

"I like the way the sky looks when the sun rises in the morning."

"That's not a color." Hanabi huffed and Itachi chuckled.

"Hmm, I suppose it's not."

The Hyuuga brought the down comforter up to her chin, thinking all the while about what else to ask him.

"When is your birthday?" She asked and Itachi stiffened next to her.

"Actually...it's tomorrow." He admitted.

Hanabi sprang upright and stared down at the Uchiha, his eyes sheepishly looking back at her. Why the hell hadn't he mentioned that his birthday was tomorrow? She personally didn't like making a huge fuss out of her own birthday but she wasn't aware of any reason that Itachi would have the same avoidance.

"Your birthday is tomorrow."

"Technically it's in a few hours."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's not important-"

"It's important to me!"

Itachi stared at her, taken aback by the outburst. Hanabi was also surprised by her own admission but it was true. Itachi was an important person in her life. It was only natural that she cares about his birthday! A warm hand slid up her arm, past her neck, to rest gently on her cheek. His thumb caressed the flushed skin, calming her rising temper.

"I'm sorry." He said and just like that she deflated.

She sank back down onto the bed and buried her face into his chest. Warm arms pulled her closer, allowing her negative feelings to finally dissipate. All of the day's events finally caught up with her body, causing her to feel the fatigue that had been lurking all along. She didn't want to fall asleep though. There were still so many things she wanted to ask him, so much more that she wanted to know. She wanted to know the _real_ Itachi. She yawned.

"Favorite season."

"Fall."

"Favorite food."

"Dango and cabbage."

"You're _so_ weird! Favorite..."

 **….**

 **Saturday, June 9, 2018, 7:10 am**

 **Tokai Mountains**

 **….**

"What the fuck! Do you mother fuckers always try your best to insult me?" An angry voice yelled.

Their voice was muffled slightly by the thick wood of the bedroom door but they were still loud enough to wake the Hyuuga up from her slumber.

"I specifically asked for a West facing room! Is that too much to fucking accommodate?"

She was disoriented at first when she opened her eyes. She didn't even remember falling asleep last night and this room was unfamiliar. Where was Itachi? She sat up on the bed and looked around the room. It was a little chilly because the fire had died down a little bit but the sight of it brought back memories of last night.

"Keep your voice down." An old gruff voice shouted from far away.

"Don't tell me what the hell to do. I'm outraged! I can't complete my ceremonies in an Eastward room!"

"No one gives a damn about your ceremonies."

"You won't be saying that so lightly when I offer your corpse as a sacrifice to Jashin!"

Hanabi ran a frustrated hand through her messy hair. Who the hell was Jashin and why did he require sacrifices of dead bodies? Also, and arguably more important, where was Itachi? His side of the bed was cold which meant that he'd departed some time ago. Did he know that he'd brought her to a house where murders made human sacrifices? The man outside the door continued to curse over his disdain for an eastward facing room and although Hanabi was well rested she didn't appreciate all of this noise so early in the morning.

With a huff, she threw the comforter off of her body and padded over the cold hardwood floor to the other side of the room. She opened up the door to find one of the loudest men she'd ever seen causing a ruckus in the hall. He was too busy waving his arms around to notice her appearance which might have been for the best since he was so angry. He didn't have a bunch of piercings like Yahiko or Konan but his silver, almost white, hair was very striking. Did he dye it to get that color?

Hanabi shook her head at the thought. His haircare practices didn't matter at the moment. The most important thing was getting him to _pipe down_. With that in mind, she cleared her throat to get his attention. It worked better than she expected because he immediately whirled around on a dime, striking violet eyes trained on her intrusion. Hanabi shivered as his eyes looked her up as down. She crossed her arms over her chest but she didn't break eye contact with the older man. If she'd learned anything from fighting opponents twice her size it was that maintaining eye contact was important. Breaking it for even the briefest of moments was a sign of weakness.

"Well aren't you a cute little tart?" He smirked before turning his head towards the stairs. "Kakuzu come look at what Itachi's hiding in his fucking room!"

"Stop yelling dammit!"

Hanabi's right eye twitched with irritation. What the hell was a 'tart'? He certainly wasn't referring to pastries when he used that word. The silver-haired man shrugged his shoulders at what she could only guess had been Kakuzu's refusal to 'come see what Itachi was hiding'. He turned his attention back to her, leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe.

"You must be the girl Konan mentioned. You're a hell of a lot cuter than I thought you'd be." He leered causing Hanabi to grimace. "You are on the small side though. I prefer my women more _well endowed_."

He reached out to touch her but Hanabi quickly grabbed his wrist and bent it backward. Instead of crying out like most men would, this guy's smirk transformed into a wide smile. His violet eyes danced with amusement and fascination the more pressure she added.

"You're a fucking feisty one." He growled, appreciatively licking his lips. "I like it."

"Hidan." A deep voice called from the third-floor stairs.

Hanabi let the man she now knew to be named Hidan go and he took a step back from her. Itachi stood at the foot of the stairs, his dark eyes trained dangerously on the other man. Hidan cackled at the look Itachi was giving him and headed towards the steps that led to the third floor. He muttered something she couldn't hear into Itachi's ear which caused the Uchiha to look away. Even though she couldn't hear Hidan's statement she could deduce that it was something foul, the guy did have a potty mouth after all. Hanabi shook her head and went back to Itachi's room to try to sleep a bit more before she had to face any more of Itachi's weird friends.

 **….**

 **Saturday, June 9, 2018, 8:35 pm**

 **Tokai Mountains**

 **….**

"Cut the deck-wait- don't let her touch the cards!"

"What afraid to lose to a girl Sasori?"

"No, but I can smell a cheater!"

Hanabi rolled her eyes at the red head's comments, leaning back in her seat. She wasn't a cheater, she'd just learned how to play from the best. It was highly unlikely that she'd beat Itachi at this game but she knew enough to beat these guys. Sasori handed the deck of cards to Kakuzu who cut the deck and dealt the cards out to everyone at the table. The redhead kept his eyes trained on Hanabi just in case even though she hadn't touched her own cards or anyone else's for that matter. He'd even made her roll up her sleeves on the grounds that she had spare cards hidden in her sweater. Hanabi blinked innocently back at him and he narrowed his eyes.

"Ya know, I have a good feeling about this hand." Kisame said as he picked up his cards and scanned the contents.

"You say that about every hand." Deidra sighed, his own hand was rather lackluster this time around.

Hanabi picked up her own cards as well and suppressed the grin that was trying to bubble up to the surface. To keep from revealing her good fortune too soon she observed the men sitting around the large round table. Sitting on either side of her were Kisame and Deidra who had gotten to the house only a few hours ago. Hanabi never thought she would be happy to see Kisame again but she was. She'd never let him know that though, it would make his ego even bigger. She was also happy to see Deidra even though he tried to act upset at her for leaving him. No matter how much coaxing she tried to do, the blonde man felt 'abandoned' and alone. Woe was the plight of a shop owner. Hanabi had to keep herself from laughing at Deidra's theatrics but occasionally a snicker did slip.

On the other side of the table sat Sasori, Kakuzu, and Hidan. Those three men were new faces that she hadn't quite figured out yet. Outside of the fact that Hidan had a foul mouth, he was mostly harmless, especially around Kakuzu. The stoic green-eyed man was the only person Hidan respected which honestly wasn't saying much. Hidan was incredibly easy to rile up though and Hanabi took personal joy in tormenting the man. The Hyuuga eyed the pile of money in front of her, the corner of her lip twitching involuntarily. The only thing Hidan still had in his possession was his shirt and the man would likely barter that before he admitted defeat to a girl. While most of the money came from Hidan because he was such a reckless player, a good chunk of it previously belonged to Sasori who wasn't willing to give up without a fight. Her lip twitched again. She didn't mind if they kept playing until they were broke, that just meant more money for her.

"No." Sasori grumbled, his eyes still trained on Hanabi.

"What?" She asked innocently, rested her chin on top of her fist. "I haven't done anything yet."

"Your lip twitched...twice."

"So?"

"Show your cards."

Hanabi smirked and rolled her eyes as the men around the table watched her with bated breath. Lazily she flipped over her set of four to reveal straight aces. A red-faced Hidan jumped out of his seat, knocking the chair loudly to the floor in the process while everyone else threw their cards down on the table.

"You're a goddamn witch that's what you are!"

"Hidan sit down." Kakuzu grumbled as he begrudgingly added more money to Hanabi's pile.

"No! She's a fucking cheater! She-"

"Just pay up." Hanabi groaned and held out her hand palm side up.

Hidan gritted his teeth in thinly contained fury before he ripped his shirt off his head and threw it on the table. Kisame and Deidra laughed at his distress even though they also had to deposit money into the Hyuuga's growing coffers. Sasori was the last to give her money and when he did, Hanabi gathered up all of the bills into a neat stack. She left all of the loose coins scattered on the table though, she had no use for change and she wasn't so cruel as to take their last few dimes.

"Let's play again." Sasori said but Hanabi shook her head.

"Afraid you'll lose?" Hidan hissed.

"No, I just don't want to see you lose your pants too."

Hidan sputtered insults at her as she stood up from the table, fanning herself all the while with their money, and taking leave of the dining room. The dining room led straight into the living room which of course was a much calmer environment. There was a fire roaring in the large fireplace and Itachi, Konan, and Yahiko were all chatting in a much more civilized tone. The tea sitting on the coffee table had long since grown cold but the pile of ginger snap cookies were still plentiful so Hanabi took two from the top. She deposited half of the money on the coffee table next to Konan before plopping down on the couch beside Itachi.

"Are you finished terrorizing for the night?" Itachi asked.

"I'm not 'terrorizing'. Your friends are just sore losers." She said with a shrug and handed Itachi the other half of the money. "Happy Birthday old man."

Hanabi grinned widely as Yahiko and Konan laughed at the aghast look on Itachi's face. Hidan's muffled tirade continued through the door to the dining room only added to their amusement. Yahiko laughed and ran a hand through his vibrant orange locks.

"Hidan is a special brand of loser." He said. "You'd think he'd temper out with age but he just seems to get worse."

Hanabi cocked her head to the side as she watched the trio share a laugh at memories that only they understood.

"How long have you guys all known each other?" She asked.

"Too long. Much longer than any of us care to admit." Yahiko said, absently fiddling with one of the piercings in his ear.

"Yahiko and I have known each other since childhood but the rest we've met along the way." Konan explained.

"You're willingly friends with weird, crazy people?"

"Ha! I like you!" Yahiko snorted and slapped his knee.

Just then the door separating the living room and the dining room swung open violently. A shirtless Hidan marched out with a look of smug confidence in his eyes. The others spilled out of the room behind him and watched as the silver-haired man positioned himself in front of the fire.

"Itachi your ward is a fucking thief." He said confidently, crossing his arms over his chest and eyeing the money on the table. "I demand a rematch."

"Is that so?" Hanabi sighed. "I'll just beat you again."

"Hidan you really are a glutton for punishment." Yahiko snickered.

"I've been saying for years that he's a masochist." Kisame added and Hidan glared at him.

"She fucking cheated, you all saw it! I know-" Hidan yelled.

"Hidan." Konan said calmly. "What time is it?"

"Like nine why-"

"I suggest you tone down your voice at such a late hour or I will tone it down for you."

Hanabi was surprised to see the loud man's mouth snap shut, violet eyes glancing warily towards the stairs to the second floor. It wasn't even that late but Konan's threat seemed to do the trick. He plopped down in front of the fireplace and grabbed a handful of cookies to shove angrily into his mouth. The rest of the occupants of the dining room took up seats on the rest of the couches or on the floor and Hanabi observed them contently.

 _What was it like to have friends you've known all your life?_

She'd never paid much attention to her sister's friends and Neji...well he was too busy chasing after her and working to foster meaningful relationships. At school, she had...acquaintances but no one that she would consider a friend. People treated her differently because of who her father was and how much money their company made. Nothing about the people she associated with in high school were genuine, there was always an ulterior motive to every interaction. It wasn't like she was the kindest person to work with either so that was also a factor to take into consideration. Even still, Konohamaru was the only person who'd managed to make it past her defenses. The only person who treated her like a girl and not a stepping stone.

She sighed and shook her head to get rid of thoughts of her ex. She and Konohamaru had been happy together but now…he had Moegi. She didn't know much about Moegi, nor would she try to dig into her background, but she knew that she was a girl that would satisfy Konohamaru's family. She was compliant and sweet and everything Hanabi _wasn't_. Everything that Hanabi could never be. The Hyuuga sighed and pulled her feet up onto the couch. This house was making her think too much.

 **….**

 **Sunday, June 10, 2018, 2:00 pm**

 **Tokai Mountains**

 **….**

"Konan!" Hanabi called as she scrambled up the back-porch steps towards. In the background, gunshots and breaking pottery pierced the usual peace of the forest. "Konan!"

Her initial calls received no reply. That wasn't too strange since the house was really big and she probably couldn't hear her that well. Quickly Hanabi removed her muddy boots and left them just outside the screen door, it wouldn't be very nice to track filth into Konan's spotless kitchen. She then opened the screen door and looked around the kitchen. It was surprisingly empty.

"Konan." She called again, walking through the kitchen towards the living room. "Konan."

The living room was also empty so she started to climb the stairs. Outside she could hear the faint sounds of whoops and gunshots and she looked back towards the kitchen. Stupid Itachi. He refused to teach her how to shoot a gun which she found to be highly unfair. He'd already taught her how to gut a fish, start a fire, and let her make explosives with Deidra. How was showing her how to use a gun any more dangerous than what she'd already learned? Hidan especially took joy in Itachi's refusal and made sure to rub it in.

"Stupid Itachi. Stupid Hidan." Hanabi mumbled under her breath. "Konan! Are you up here?"

Again she was met with only the sound of her own heavy footsteps against the hardwood. Huh. That was odd. Where was Konan? Hanabi knocked on every door down the hallway but of course, they were empty since all of the boys were having target practice outside. Hanabi's upper lip curled but she continued her search. When she'd knocked on the last door the only option she had left was to take the stairs up to the third floor. In the two days she and Itachi had been here, she'd never ventured up to the third floor. The other visitors floated in and out throughout the day but she usually followed Itachi or Konan around when they were on the first or second floor. She reached out and touched the cold dark wood banister and leaned forward.

"Konan?" She called tentatively. "Are you up there?"

She paused and strained her ears but received no response. Just as she was about to walk away she heard a muffled cough.

"Konan?" She called again, taking a few steps up the staircase.

The coughing got louder and so did a rather distinctive beeping. It was muffled but she could recognize the sound even in her sleep. Now unable to keep her curiosity at bay she climbed the rest of the stairs up to the third floor, the beeping growing louder the higher she climbed. She expected to find a similar set up as the second floor, rows of doors that led to rooms, but instead the entire space was clear of any walls. The entire westward and eastward walls were covered in floor to ceiling windows, the afternoon light of the forest giving the space an warm glow. The floor was littered with hundreds, possibly thousands, of multicolored origami figurines and even more hung in bunches from the ceiling. Her foot kicked one of the creations and she bent down to pick it up. The red paper was folded into a delicate crane with a skill she'd never seen before even among her elders who folded origami as a way to pass their afternoons. It was a beautiful piece of work.

"Hello." A weary voice rasped, snapping Hanabi from her admiration of the crane.

The voice belonged to a being sitting on the far side of the room. Long red hair hung down limply over their hunched shoulders as they were propped up in a massive bed. Wires and cords trailed from the person to the beeping machines that surrounded their bed. There were so many machines that the Hyuuga couldn't even imagine how they were able to hook up to one person. Even when she was being treated for hypothermia there were never this many machines...this many wires. Hanabi took a nervous step back.

"Hello?" The person called again.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" Hanabi stammered, embarrassed that she'd intruded upon this person's privacy.

"You must be..." the person paused to take a deep, shaky breath. " the girl everyone was...talking about..."

The voice trailed off as though trying to recall her name. Nervously she took a step forward and supplied the answer.

"Hanabi Hyuuga."

"Yes...Hanabi... Itachi's firecracker." The voice chuckled. " I have heard...a lot about you."

"Good things I hope." Hanabi laughed nervously.

"Sasori...Hidan...are convinced you are a witch."

Hanabi rolled her eyes at the insult. For full-grown men, they sure acted like a bunch of babies. The person on the bed appeared amused though. They tried to sit up properly in the bed but it looked like it took more effort than they possessed. Without thinking twice Hanabi crossed the room to help them sit up, nearly flinching when she felt how frail they were.

"Thank you." The person said, patting her hand that she was using to stabilize their elbow. "My name is...Nagato...by the way."

"Oh!" Hanabi squeaked in surprise. Where were her manners? Neji would certainly reprimand her for her absentmindedness if he were here to witness it. "Nice to meet you Nagato."

"You as well..."

Outside they could hear the faint sound of gunshots and the realization made her cringe. She'd been yelling for Konan this entire time and she'd been arrogantly thumping up the stairs as if she owned the place. If he could hear the activity outside so clearly, surely he must have heard her mucking around downstairs. Inwardly she groaned, this man probably thought she'd been raised in a barn.

"I...I'm sorry for the noise." She mumbled and Nagato only flashed her a weak smile.

"It's fine...I like noise...sometimes..."

Hanabi nodded and looked out towards the westward windows. Up here they had a perfect view of the forest and clearing down below. Currently, Kakuzu was handing Itachi a pair of bulky headphones and clear protective goggles, a fiercely competitive look on his face. Itachi put the items on before heading towards the table with a wide array of guns and ammunition, all of which he'd forbidden her to touch. Hanabi moodily turned away from the window.

"Stupid Itachi." She grumbled under her breath which caused Nagato to chuckle.

"I've...never heard...those two words...said together." He wheezed.

Hanabi turned back to the man meekly. She really wasn't leaving a good first impression on him was she?

"He's not that bad, just _annoying_ at times." She blurted out and slapped a hand over her treacherous mouth. "Don't tell him I said that though!"

"I won't."

"Whew!" Hanabi said dramatically, wiping the imaginary sweat off of her forehead. Quickly she thought of something else to say to fill the silence. "Your view from up here is really nice though. I don't think I've seen anything like it."

"Hmmm...neither have I. This is my childhood home...Konan...Yahiko...we all grew up here." He sighed and his weary eyes took on a far-off quality.

"You're all siblings?" Hanabi asked curiously, that really didn't add up since they looked nothing alike. Nagato's chapped lips twitched with amusement.

"In a way."

Hanabi nodded, her eyes ever so often darting to the countless wires and tubes that were connected to Nagato's frail body. The redhead tried to push some of his hair out of his eyes but the limp locks fell back into place.

"Does my appearance...frighten you?" He asked and Hanabi furiously shook her head.

"No, it's just-"

"It's okay...I know what I must look like..."

The Hyuuga bit her bottom lip nervously even though he continued to smile at her. He didn't look that bad...well yes he did look terrible but he didn't frighten her. If anything she was filled with concern the moment she set eyes on him. What was he doing up here all alone in this drafty old house? He was clearly sick but he wasn't going to get any better being up here. The last she checked, no one currently residing in the mansion had any knowledge of medicine or what to do to help Nagato if he worsened. It seemed almost cruel to keep him cooped up here and only able to be an observer as life moved on just outside his window. As if he could read her mind, Nagato spoke up.

"You are wondering...why I am here..." He wheezed. "I'm not surprised Itachi...didn't tell you. He has a tendency to...shield others from...unpleasant realities."

Hanabi swallowed thickly. She shouldn't allow Nagato to talk this much. It was evident that doing so was sapping away at whatever reserves of energy he had left. The sick man took a deep breath and looked up at her, freezing her in place with soulful eyes that had seen too much. Eyes that knew more pain that she could ever fathom. Eyes that were strangely familiar.

"You're dying." She whispered and Nagato nodded his head solemnly.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry." Hanabi said thickly when all other words failed her.

What else was there to say to a dying man? The teen had been mostly shielded from death and dying as she grew up. She'd never attended any of the funerals of the branch members, somehow her family always kept her busy doing something else on those rare occasions. Sometimes Hinata would visit some of their family members when they were sick in the hospital but Hanabi never tagged along. Now she regretted her selfish behavior because she had no idea what to do in a situation like this. Nagato didn't seem to mind her lack of bedside manner. He patted her hand gently with cold thin fingers and looked out the window to where his visitors were starting to clean up the damage they'd done in the clearing.

Itachi turned away from the others, covering his mouth with the inside of his elbow. From the way his shoulders were hunched it wasn't a very strong cough but she could tell that he'd pushed himself too much for the day. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and luckily it came away clean. No blood...this time. Beside her, Nagato began to cough as well, the beeping of his machine picking up speed as the brief fit coursed through his weak body.

"Nagato." She said, placing her hands on his thin shoulders to keep him from falling too far forward.

When the coughing ended she pressed him back down against his pillows, worried that if he continued to sit upright it would only further irritate his condition. As Nagato gave her a weak smile of appreciation she noticed the small droplets of blood that had landed on his white bedsheets. Her eyes widened as she looked at the blood then back up to his worn face. The dots slowly began to connect together. Nagato winced slightly in pain but his smile stayed firm.

"You are...a strange girl." he teased weakly. "Most are...frightened by the sight of...blood."

Hanabi kept a stiff upper lip and folded her arms defiantly across her chest.

"It'll take more than that to scare me off." she said but the truth was that she was used to it. She'd seen more than her own fair share of blood over the last few years.

Nagato smirked and closed his eyes, sinking further into his pillows. He coughed a few more times but soon his body relaxed. The sound of the machines beeping lulled the man to sleep.

"I'm glad I got to meet you...Hanabi."

 **...**

 **Sunday, June 10, 2018, 9:47 pm**

 **Tokai Mountains**

 **...**

The light in the room faded as the hours ticked by. Konan had tried knocking on the door to coax her out for dinner a couple of hours ago. Hanabi told her she wasn't hungry. Hidan and Sasori had tried to entice her with another game of cards. Hanabi rejected their offer. Deidra had asked if she wished to help him set up in the backyard...that request had been the hardest to deny. Not because she wanted to help him but because she knew _why_ he was setting up fireworks in the backyard. This would be the last time Nagato would ever see the night sky light up. In her heart, she knew that she should help yet her mouth had formed the words of rejection without her permission. She remained on Itachi's bed with her back against the wall, staring out at the increasing dark room. She could hear the sounds of the others walking up and down the hall earlier but there was nothing but silence now. The door to Itachi's room creaked open but there was no light that came in with the opening. Everything remained dark.

"Hanabi." Itachi said as he stood in the middle of the dark doorway.

"I met Nagato." She said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's dying."

Itachi let out a slow deep breath but he remained in the doorway. His silence alone was enough to corroborate what she'd discovered earlier that afternoon.

"Why?" She asked.

Silence engulfed the pair as the Uchiha made his way over to the bed. He took a seat on the edge with his back to her.

"Nagato and I first met when I was around five and he was eight. I don't remember much from that time, I was mostly too heavily medicated." Itachi said, his deep voice cutting through the darkness. Hanabi hugged her knees to her chest and listened intently.

"I was born with a disorder that causes buildup in my lungs, liver, pancreas...I won't bore you with the details but it makes me more prone to infection. I underwent a lot of treatment when I was younger and I guess you could say that Nagato was my first friend and only friend during my time in the children's hospital. I got better. Sasuke was born and our parents worried that he would be dealt the same hand as I was. Luckily he was not and I was also able to live a relatively normal life. That is until I turned fifteen and had to be sent off again for more treatment."

"That must have been hard." Hanabi mumbled under her breath. To think that you were fine and then have it ripped away? That had to be difficult to deal with at such a young age. Itachi chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

"For me not so much, for Sasuke...that was a different story. I still don't think that he's forgiven my sudden abandonment during his formative years. He was a sweet kid before I left but after I got back he was more of the prickly pear you like to bicker with."

"Your parents never told him?"

"Weakness is not something discussed within the Uchiha clan especially not when it comes to the heir. At that time there were factions vying to usurp my father and take the company in a different direction. They were pretty close to doing it too. If they knew that his line was even weaker than they'd initially thought it would have been even easier to oust him. Sasuke was too young to grasp my illness or clan politics. Right or wrong we all shielded him from it."

Itachi sighed and laid back on the bed. His eyes stared up at the dark ceiling.

"Will you tell him now?" She asked and the Uchiha took a deep breath.

"Old habits die hard little firecracker."

"The second round of intense treatments was similar to the first except I had to stay longer. Nagato was there as well, he remembered me still after all those years, and we got a bit closer this time. Konan and Yahiko would come to visit him at least three times a week and they kept me company as well when my parents were unable to visit. When I was well enough to leave the hospital Nagato was still too sick. We kept in touch though over the years and I actually met him again during university. Although this time without the context of us both being confined to hospital beds.

"I was doing much better by this point, I was even able to come off of most of my medication until about two years ago. This time when I went in for treatment there was nothing they could do. My body has become resistant to the old methods and the buildup in my organs is more persistent. Nagato's condition is much worse than mine. It always has been. His body has been destroying itself since the day he was born."

Hanabi's eyes widened in the dark. No. Itachi couldn't end up like Nagato.

"There has to be something you can do." She said meekly.

"There are options overseas. Clinical trials that are looking to test out new treatments. They could prove to be fruitful but I'm fairly skeptical of the efficacy." He sighed and sat up on the bed. "Enough of this talk. Deidra should be finished setting up by now without your help-"

"Chi." Hanabi interrupted, clutching the edge of his shirt to keep him from getting off of the bed. "Please don't die."

"Everyone dies Hanabi. In this world, it is the only thing that is a guarantee."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **L is for N. K. C.**

 _His father was scary when deprived of his wife._


	12. L is for NKC

**CCNote:** **Guess who's on an upswing? This girl! My fiance surprised me with tickets to return home for Christmas! I thought I could be a tough cookie and not shell out the money but I'm sooooooo relieved. I've been on cloud nine for the last week and haven't been able to sit still enough to write. I just can't wait to get home and eat my weight in good southern cooking and be with my family for the holidays. Thanks so much to the people who reached out to me when I mentioned feeling funky over Thanksgiving. Your messages were really kind while I was in my funk and they really meant a lot to me.**

 **Anywho, second years are finished with exams and off to Okinawa this week for their school trip. First and second years are now up for their exams which means two whole days of desk warming. This chapter is another one that's been bouncing around in my head since the beginning. Plus since Itachi and Hanabi got a long chapter, this one will also be lengthy. So I hope you enjoy!**

 **L is for N. K. C**

 _(Nat King Cole)_

 **Friday, May 28, 2019, 9:30 am**

 **Uchiha Penthouse #2**

 **...**

"Oh, Sasuke are you sure about this?"

"They will be fine."

Hinata wasn't so sure. Hajime and Hiroto were utterly unaware of the trauma that would befall them once she left the room. They were at a stage where they had...attachment issues. They trailed behind her like little shadows throughout the penthouse but as soon as they lost sight of her for even a second they would scream bloody murder. The only time she truly got a break now was when they were sleeping but even then, Hiroto had a tendency of waking up in the middle of the night and crying until one of them picked him up. It'd gotten to the point that the twins now slept in their bed with them just to get them to sleep through the night, an unwelcome blockade in their usual nighttime activities.

Currently, the boys were contentedly watching a children's show on the floor of the living room in their grandparents' penthouse. The beauty of having grandparents so close was that they were always willing to take the twins. Well, Mikoto was willing, Fugaku was more so regulated to the sidelines and left to his own devices. Hinata sniffed pitifully as Hajime sucked on his fingers, fully entranced by the bright colors of the children's program. Hajime was going to hate her for this she just knew it. She was a terrible mother! A horrible mother! How could she even think to leave them for so long? A few hours was fine but _three_ days? That was just too cruel.

Mikoto waved frantically from the couch for them to leave but Hinata stayed firmly rooted to her spot. Hiroto yawned and tumbled onto his back for a moment. She had to fight the initial urge to pick him up and make sure that he was alright which of course she knew he was but logic was not on her side today. The fallen twin shifted himself back upright, knocking into his finger sucking brother as he did so. The sight of the two of them huddled so closely together made her heart ache. They were so innocent. So trusting. So-

"Come on Hinata." Sasuke hissed in her ear but she waved him away.

"Just five more minutes."

Sasuke slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand but he relented against his better judgment. There wasn't much in this world he was able to deny her. When five minutes were up Hinata wanted to ask for five more but even she knew that was asking for too much. Slowly they started to back away towards the front door, their sons none the wiser of their treachery.

"Sasuke I...I can't do it!" Hinata whimpered just as they reached the front door. Hajime clumsily leaned against Hiroto to try to turn himself around.

"Dammit." Sasuke cursed under his breath and quickly wrenched open the front door.

"Mah-mah." Hajime called across the room, clearly perplexed as to why his parents were so far away. Hiroto turned his head to see what his brother was calling for. Two identical sets of obsidian orbs innocently blinked, unaware of their parents' impending betrayal.

"Dah!"

Wet little fingers reached out to them and Hinata finally broke. She tried to take a step towards her sons but Sasuke caught her around her waist. Before even a word of protest could escape her lips, Sasuke had her outside and the front door slammed behind them. It was then that they heard the screams.

 **…..**

 **Friday, May 28, 2019, 9:35 am**

 **Uchiha Penthouse #2**

 **...**

The penthouse had been fairly quiet for most of the morning just like it was every morning. Fugaku reached for his still warm cup of coffee and paused for a moment to enjoy the rich aroma of his favorite brew. Mikoto knew how to brew the best coffee, truly a work of art in every cup. Sure he could always make his own coffee, when he was away from home he was forced to, but it always tasted better when she made it. He took a long sip from his mug before setting it back down on his desk.

Now that Sasuke had taken over the role as head of the company his desk was much less cluttered with pressing matters. There were still old documents piled up here and there but that was more due to his own laziness since he was prolonging the inevitable purge. The thought of his desk completely clear left an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. A cleared desk meant that he really was _retired_. Fugaku shuddered as the word entered his mind and reached for the solace his coffee mug provided.

He brought it to his lips and closed his eyes. This day was supposed to come eventually. He was supposed to step down and hand over the reigns, sometimes he'd even fantasized burning the corporation to the ground when he'd become too overwhelmed with work. Mikoto always talked him back off of the ledge when he was at his breaking points though. That was another thing he appreciated about her in addition to her coffee prowess. Fugaku sighed and spun around lazily in his leather chair. Even though the job as Head was stressful he actually missed the rush of being in charge. He missed being needed. He grunted at the thought and smirked.

"I'm getting sentimental in my old age." He mumbled to himself and he took another sip of coffee.

In the next second, three things happened simultaneously. The first was a loud slam that nearly caused the former head to spill his coffee in his lap. The second were screams that _actually did_ make him spill his coffee albeit on his desk and not his lap. The third was the realization that the peace of his home had been irrevocably shattered. Leaving the mess on his desk he hurried out the door to his office and down the hall, the sound of screaming getting louder as he approached the living room. There he found his wife rocking one of his inconsolable grandsons while the other was pulling on the edge of her skirt and crying.

"Christ, Mikoto why are they crying?" He asked, refraining from covering his ears by the death glare she sent his way.

"Why else do babies cry, _dear_?" She snapped before turning on a dime to coo comforts to the baby in her arms.

Unsure of what to do as his grandsons continued to cry, Fugaku picked up the one on the floor. Being picked up didn't stymie the baby's wails. If anything it sounded like he and his brother were in a competition to see who had the greatest lung capacity. With a huff, Fugaku held the boy out at arm's length and frowned.

"Which one are you?" He asked and his deep voice surprised the baby into quieting for a moment although his bottom lip was still quivering. Fat tears continued to fall from big black eyes.

"Haroto?" He guessed and the boy let out a small whimper. "Hijime?"

At that the baby started full on crying and in an effort to defy the impossible, his brother began crying even louder. Mikoto glared at him as she balanced one twin on her hip and took the other from his possession.

"Their names are _Hajime_ and _Hiroto_." She hissed. "They are staying with us for the next three days or have you forgotten that as well?"

Fugaku winced at her double-edged barb. He actually _had_ forgotten that Sasuke and the Hyuuga girl were leaving the twins with them for a few days. Mikoto turned away with a huff and tried her best to rock both boys at the same time.

"Don't just stand there. There's juice in the kitchen. Please get it." Mikoto directed and before he could contemplate his wife's new commanding demeanor, he was already off to the kitchen.

Quickly he scanned the countertops to find them littered with various grocery bags. There had to be juice in at least one of them right? He grabbed the first bag within his reach but inside there were only various kinds of snacks. Undeterred he looked in another bag to find even more snacks. The rest of the bags contained baby diapers, wipes, and more pacifiers than should be necessary. He'd found three different kinds of puffs but not a single juice box! The babies' crying continued steadily in the living with no end in sight. The Uchiha ran his fingers through his hair. He had to be overlooking something. Resigned to his own carelessness he went through the bags again.

"What are you doing?" Mikoto asked, her arms baby free and now crossed over her chest. "Getting juice shouldn't be this hard."

"There's no juice in any of these bags-" Fugaku retorted but immediately regretted his tone when his wife's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Without tearing her eyes away from him, she angrily yanked open the fridge and pointed her finger at the half-full container of apple juice in the inner door.

"The twins don't like warm juice."

"How was I supposed to know their juice was in the fridge let alone that they don't drink juice warm?"

"Their juice has always been in our fridge!" Mikoto hissed, throwing her hands up in frustration. "If you pulled your head out of your ass and paid attention to your sons you'd know what was going on!"

"Sons?" Fugaku paused. "Don't you mean grandsons?"

"Sons. Grandsons. It makes no difference"

The exasperated woman grabbed the jug of juice from the inner shelf and slammed the fridge door shut. Fugaku crossed his arms over his chest, the soundtrack of the twins still crying played in the background. He watched as she rummaged around the kitchen cabinets to quickly find two sippy cups to pour the juice into.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked tersely and his wife shrugged her shoulders.

"Take it however you want."

"Mikoto. Explain."

Her fingers tightened around the sippy cups in her possession, dark eyes brimming with unshed tears that he hadn't seen in years. Fugaku took a step towards her but she took an even bigger step back.

"Its just...you weren't there for Itachi and Sasuke-"

"You know what was happening. I thought you understood-"

"I _did._ I do!" She snapped, turning on her heel and angrily marching into the living room. Fugaku trailed in her wake. "But you're doing the same thing then as you're doing now. You've gotten so used to being detached that you don't even know your own grandsons' names!"

"It was only a slip of the tongue." Fugaku sighed, rubbing a tired hand over his face at the memory of his mistake.

"You're unbelievable."

Mikoto shook her head and pushed the sippy cups into his chest, Fugaku barely had time to catch them before they fell onto the floor.

"Spend time with your _family_ for once." She growled before turning away to stomp down the hall.

He winced as the sound of the master bedroom door slamming shut echoed through the large apartment. What in the world had gotten into his wife? He looked down at the sippy cups in his hand and back up again at the path Mikoto had retreated down. Lost in his own thoughts, he felt little hands tugging at his pant legs. He looked down to find Hiroto, or perhaps this one was Hajime, trying to use his leg as leverage to stand up on his own.

'At least they aren't crying anymore.' Fugaku sighed mentally as he crouched down low to the floor.

Small fingers opened and closed, his eyes trained on one of the sugar-filled cups he held in his hand.

"Bah!" The baby said, reaching as far as his little arms could to take possession of the sippy cup.

Fugaku handed it to him and he happily sucked on the top, all previous woes were forgotten. He then went over to the other twin who also eagerly accepted his own cup. The elder Uchiha sighed as the sound of sucking had replaced the incessant crying from earlier. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and watched the boys carefully with calculating eyes. Their juice would only occupy them for a short time. When they were finished drinking what was he supposed to do? Pour more? If they drank a lot of liquid they were sure to need a diaper change so that wasn't an option. Fugaku couldn't remember changing more than a handful of diapers between both of his own sons. Mikoto had mostly taken up that duty.

'Mikoto.' He thought and glanced down the empty hall she'd stormed down.

 _"Spend time with your family for once!"_

That fiery look in her eyes as she'd yelled those words was tinged with a sadness that had resided within her for a long time. His wife was a bottler. He'd always possessed a quick temper. Quick to anger, quick to forget. Mikoto, on the other hand, bottled up her emotions to mainly keep the peace in their household. She'd been the pillar that he and his sons had leaned on. Fugaku looked back at the twins who continued to drink peacefully. It was unlikely that he was going to be unable to lean on her today.

"Now what am I supposed to do with you?"

 **…..**

"There we go." Fugaku mumbled as he finished tapping the notecard to the front of his grandson's onesie.

The other twin was clumsily trying to climb up into one of the leather office chairs in front of his desk. Before he could fall, Fugaku caught him and placed him in the seat. He then grabbed the newly labeled twin and sat him down beside his brother. They'd barely been placed in the chair before one tried to climb up to the arm while the other tried to remove their label.

"Now behave." Fugaku said, swatting curious hands away from where they didn't belong.

These labels were going to save his mental state while Mikoto continued to cloister herself off. Sure he now knew that the twins' names were Hajime and Hiroto but he didn't know which was which. Twins didn't typically run in the Uchiha family and he hadn't spent enough time with them to tell them apart. They looked like carbon copies of his second son and while he loved Sasuke he hoped that his grandsons didn't also possess his rueful personality. With any luck, their looks were the only thing they inherited. Fugaku crossed his arms over his chest, satisfied with the labels he'd created.

"Thing One." He said proudly to the baby in the red onesie on the right before turning his attention to the one wearing blue on the left. "Thing Two."

"Dah!" They replied in unison.

Fugaku's eyebrow twitched. Was 'dah' the only word they knew? He wasn't quite sure how fast babies developed but they should know more words than that. Wait...how old were they again?

 _"Spend time with your family for once!"_

Mikoto's words reiterated in his mind but he pushed it aside. He had to figure out how to ensure that these two didn't turn out as disrespectful as his second son. He straightened up the seated positions of the squirming boys before slowly pacing in front of them. Their dark eyes followed him back and forth.

"You two are the heirs to the Uchiha clan. Do you know that?" He asked.

"Dah." Thing Two said. Thing one continued to suck his fingers.

"As heirs, you will have a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. That day will be a long time from now but it's best to prepare you early."

"Dah!" Thing Two said again while Thing One still sucked on his fingers.

The finger sucking habit Thing One had going on was starting to create drool, a healthy stream of which was dripping onto his expensive leather chair. Fugaku frowned and tried to gently remove the fingers from his mouth but the boy kept jerking his arm away.

"You have to stop sucking your fingers. Who's ever heard of a finger sucking Uchiha head?"

"Dah!"

"Exactly, see Thing Two gets it!"

Thing one's eyes got glassy, unappreciative of his grandfather taking his fingers out of his mouth. His lower lip quivered inwardly causing Fugaku to panic. If Thing One started to cry it would no doubt trigger Thing Two to cry as well and he refused to have a repeat of this morning. His ears would bleed. Thinking fast, Fugaku gently put the fingers back into Thing One's mouth. He released the tiny wrist and froze as though waiting for a bomb to go off. Thing One's eyes were still glassy but he didn't start wailing which was all he could ask for.

Fugaku let out an audible sigh of relief and was surprised to hear a bubbly laugh, it was short at first but grew louder. He narrowed his eyes at Thing One who had removed his fingers on his own and was laughing even more now. Thing Two also joined in on his brother's amusement and soon his office was filled with the sound of their laughter which was much better than crying.

'These two.' Fugaku frowned and the babies laughed louder. 'Are going to kill me.'

 **….**

 **Friday May 28 12:10pm**

 **Konoha Airport**

 **...**

"Do you think they're okay?" Hinata asked hesitantly looking at her phone.

The flight attendants hadn't yet asked them to turn their phones off yet but Sasuke was skeptical if Hinata would even obey that order. She'd been nervously checking her phone for messages every five minutes as if the babies would explode if she didn't. Sasuke reached over the armrest and took her left hand in his right so that she would stop her incessant swiping and she looked up at him wide worried eyes.

"Hinata they're fine." He sighed and grabbed her phone out of her other hand. "My mother raised my brother and I essentially on her own and we turned out okay."

Hinata's eyes got even wider at that statement and frantically tried to get her phone back.

 **….**

 **Friday May 28 2019 12:20pm**

 **Uchiha Penthouse #2**

 **...**

Fugaku smirked to himself as he finished washing his hands in the bathroom sink. So far the boys had been great and hadn't caused him a lick of trouble. They were easily entertained with markers and paper and had been fairly quiet for the last hour, happily scribbling away. He looked at himself in the mirror, pushing some of his dark hair off of his forehead. His eyes widened as he noticed the amount of gray hair he had now. With a frown, he vainly ran his fingers through his hair repeatedly as if that would make the telltale signs of his age diminish. Was it normal to start going gray in your fifties? At least it was just gray hair, he wasn't going bald.

A loud crash from down the hall broke him from his age-induced anxiety and sent an even worse feeling into the pit of his stomach. Quickly he raced down the hall, the sound of laughter and banging getting louder the closer he got to his office. Each step brought with it an increasing sense of panic. He'd only left to go to the bathroom and now the twins were hurt. Mikoto was going to skin him alive if those boys sustained as much as a papercut. Shaking his head of the violent visual, he wrenched open his office door to find Thing One pulling books down from the lowest levels of his bookshelf and tossing them onto the floor behind him. Thing Two had taken his artistry away from the parameters of the paper Fugaku had given him and was contently drawing on the front of his grandfather's desk.

Panicked at the destruction of the heirloom desk, Fugaku rushed forward to stop the wayward twin but ended up knocking the metal trashcan near the door over in his haste. Old tissues and crumpled pieces of paper littered the floor, adding to the mess that was already there. Ignoring his own contribution to the messy office, he crossed the room and snatched the marker out of the child's hand and tossed it over his shoulder. Thing Two's dark eye's widened and fat tears immediately started brimming up to the surface with each quiver of his bottom lip.

"Wait wait, don't cry!" Fugaku said quickly but it was too late.

Thing Two's tears were already starting to stream down his cheeks. Fugaku picked up the crying child, unsure of what exactly to do with him. Sensing his brother's distress Thing One stopped grabbing books and looked around the room. He crawled over to where Fugaku was trying to comfort his brother and once he reached them, tried to pull himself up to standing. The eldest Uchiha hadn't been paying attention to the other twin underfoot and when he took a step in the opposite direction it caused the boy to fall on his face. Luckily he'd fallen one of the many pillows that were scattered all over the floor but that was a small comfort to the boy. His cries added to his brother's and soon the entire office was filled with a repeat of this morning's tantrum.

Fugaku crouched down to grab Thing One while still balancing Thing Two but was finding it difficult to maneuver. He'd seen Sasuke grab both of them simultaneously before and he made it look relatively easy but it most certainly was not. The screaming in his ear and little hands pushing on the side of his face wasn't helping matters either.

"Knock, knock." A soft voice called from the open office door.

The Uchiha looked up to see his wife leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed over her chest and a disapproving look in her eye. Thing One stopped crying immediately and reached out for her to pick him up which she did quickly and the twin buried his face in the crook of her shoulder.

"There there, Haji." Mikoto cooed as she soothed the twin in her arms. "Did grandpa do it?"

Black eyes narrowed in his direction and Fugaku glared back at the child. The twin in his arms also started to settle down at the sound of Mikoto's voice and reached out for her to hold him as well. Mikoto cut an angry look at her husband before stepping forward and taking the second twin from him as well.

"Come on boys. It's time for lunch." Mikoto announced and started stepping over the debris on the floor to get out of the office.

Fugaku's stomach growled at the mention of lunch and began to follow his wife out of the room but she glared at him from the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" She asked coldly, her eyes tearing away from him to survey the destroyed office. " _You_ have a mess to clean up."

 **….**

"You missed a spot." Mikoto said from her perch of observation atop the kitchen counter furthest from the sink. She lazily swirled her a glass of red wine in her hand as she kept an eye on his dishwashing skills and the twins watching television inside of their playpen.

" _You missed a spot._ " Fugaku grumbled under his breath as he went over the plastic highchair tray once more with a sudsy sponge.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

The former Uchiha patriarch had learned long ago that when his wife was in a mood it was best not to test her. Today she seemed to be in a particularly bad mood and it hadn't lessened at all since that morning. Sure she was all smiles when she was around the twins but as soon as her eyes met his she was nothing but cold. It didn't matter what he did to try to help, his brand of 'help' always made things worse. She especially didn't appreciate the labeling of the twins as 'Thing One' and 'Thing Two'.

He glanced over his shoulder at his haughty wife. She was content with watching him clean all of the gunk off of the high chair trays from the twins' dinner. Their food had a propensity of ending up everywhere _except_ for their mouths. Fugaku was surprised his grandsons hadn't starved to death by this point in their lives since they would rather play in their food than actually eat it. He supposed that the copious varieties of puff snacks were what gave Thing One and Thing Two their life force. If he recalled correctly Sasuke had also been a fussy eater and for a time he remembered Mikoto being worried that the only thing he ate was tomatoes. He wasn't sure how long it took for his son to grow out of that phase actually.

Fugaku frowned as he ran warm water over the plastic tray. He didn't remember too much of Itachi or Sasuke's childhood. When Itachi was young he was mostly in and out of the hospital while Fugaku was tamping down an internal sabotage. Once he was at home for a solid period of time, Itachi didn't need him around much. Itachi was content being left to his own devices, uninhibited by the expectations of what he should be capable of doing. Despite his condition and age, his eldest son flourished on his own, excelling in nearly everything he attempted.

Looking back on it, Fugaku had expected the same outcome from his second son. He expected that same internal drive and independence to present itself within Sasuke but it didn't. Sasuke was...soft like his mother. Not inherently a bad thing but at that time in his life, Fugaku was too busy to deal with a soft child. Itachi didn't need him and he didn't have time for Sasuke and that was the norm they lived with. It was a status quo that had never bothered him before but now the fact that he couldn't remember when Sasuke grew out of his picky eating phase nagged at him. Shutting the water off he looked around for a towel to dry the tray off.

"Mikoto." He started as he dried off the wet tray. "Sasuke only ate tomatoes for a time."

He turned away from the sink to see her take a sip of her wine. A small, wistful smile graced her face as she thought of their youngest son. Fugaku couldn't help but be impressed at the fact that his wife didn't look a day over thirty-five while he was aging rapidly with each passing day.

"I'm surprised you remember that." She laughed and pushed some of her dark hair behind her ear. "He refused to eat anything that wasn't red and squishy for I don't know how long!"

Fugaku didn't respond to that statement. He actually didn't remember the events in question, just her mentioning it in passing. He wasn't there for the fits Sasuke threw when she tried to get him to eat other things. He supposed it was similar to the twins refusal only an hour ago...

"The only way to get him to eat meat was to cover it in tomato sauce and tell him it was a tomato. I think he has trust issues because of that now that I think about it."

"He was a difficult child."

"No." Mikoto said with a smile, her eyes becoming glassy. "He was sweet."

"Sweet?" Fugaku snorted. 'Sweet' was not a word he'd ever think of associating with his second son. Disrespectful? Yes. Intelligent? Debateable at times. Sweet? Never. Mikoto noticed his skepticism and took another healthy sip of wine.

"If you got to know him better you'd see his sweet side." She admonished and slid off of the countertop.

Her eyes had lost that dreamy look, the bad attitude that she'd had for most of the day returned. As he watched her leave, her words from earlier crept back into his mind.

 _"Spend time with your family for once!"_

This time he could shake those words away.

 **….**

 **Saturday, May 29, 2019, 2:48 am**

 **Hakone Hot Springs**

 **...**

Sasuke groaned as his phone vibrated violently on top of the bedside table. Blindly he felt around until his fingers clumsily found the device. He cracked his eyes open a bit to look at the screen, the blue light illuminating the darkness of the room. He shut his eyes again, unwilling to subject himself any longer to try to look at the phone. He swiped to accept the call.

"Hello?" He grumbled, his voice still thick with sleep.

"Sasuke."

A sudden surge of energy ran through him as he heard his father's voice through the phone. Something was wrong. His father wouldn't call him unless something had happened to the twins. Quickly, he slipped out of the bed, Hinata protesting mildly in her sleep as he did so, and tiptoed out to the balcony of their hotel room. The cool night air ruffled his messy hair

"Sasuke are you there?" His father asked.

"Yes. What's wrong?"

There was a bit of rustling on the other end of the phone but soon he could hear crying.

"Thing Two-"

"Hiroto." Sasuke mumbled as he ran tired fingers through his messy hair. "Wait, what did you call him?"

"How can you tell which one it is?" His father demanded, a slight edge of exasperation in his voice.

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders even though his father couldn't see him do it. Sure the twins were identical but their cries, as well as their laughter, sounded different to him. He wasn't sure when he'd acquired the skill to tell them apart, it didn't even seem like something worth mentioning. In any case, they cried for different reasons and since it was so late at night he knew automatically which fussy twin was awake since they went through this ritual often.

"Nevermind. We put them down for the night a couple of hours ago but this one woke up and won't go back to sleep."

Sasuke smirked and switched the phone to his other ear as the crying continued. That sounded like Hiroto alright.

"Did you give him some milk?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes, but he didn't want any."

"Of course he doesn't. Did you try changing him?"

"Yes. Twice. He still won't sleep."

"Hmmmmmm." Sasuke hummed, enjoying his father's frustration immensely.

However, if Hiroto continued to cry he might wake up his brother. Hajime was a fairly deep sleeper but it was only a matter of time before his brother's crying triggered him. It was best to put his father out of his misery sooner rather than later.

"Take off your shirt." Sasuke instructed and his father sputtered his outrage.

"What the hell boy? What are you-"

"Do you want Hiro to stop crying or not?"

There was a tired sigh on the other end of the line before the telltale rustle of clothing being removed.

"Now what?" His father asked through gritted teeth.

"Pick up Hiro and go sit down somewhere." Sasuke instructed. His father grumbled and Hiroto cried but eventually, his father complied. "Are you sitting?"

"Yes but he's still crying."

"I know, I can hear him." The Uchiha smirked, he could almost see the death glare his father was giving him through the phone. "Hum something."

"What?" Fugaku snapped, his exhaustion getting the best of him. The angry tone of his voice made Hiroto cry louder and Sasuke's fingers inadvertently clenched around the balcony railing.

"Calm down. Hiro feeds off of your energy." Sasuke said.

He couldn't believe he was spouting 'Mommy and Me' mumbo jumbo to his own father. At first, he thought that the books were all bullshit but after having Hinata remind him on multiple occasions to check his own anger, he noticed a marked difference in the twins demeanors as well. Even if it was bull shit, it worked. His father inhaled and exhaled slowly a few times but Sasuke wasn't so sure he was calm. It was a start though.

"Now put Hiro on your chest and hum." Sasuke instructed after a few moments of heavy breathing.

"Hum what?"

"Anything."

"How is this going to make him stop crying?"

"He likes the vibration."

"The vi-what?"

"The vibration father. Just hum something dammit so we can all go to sleep."

He could see his father's face turning red with anger but somehow the man kept from lashing out over the phone. He took a few more deep breaths before a weird gurgling reached his ears. Sasuke paused as he pressed the phone closer to his ear just to be sure he was hallucinating. His father was actually doing it. Sure he was bad at it, Sasuke couldn't even place whatever tune he was struggling to hum, but he was at least trying. Just as Sasuke had predicted, Hiroto's cries turned to whimpers. It wasn't long before his fussiness died down completely.

"He stopped crying." Fugaku whispered and Sasuke smirked.

"He's not asleep yet. Keep doing it till he falls asleep." He said and had to keep from laughing at the strange, strangled sound his father made.

"You do this until he falls asleep every night?"

"Hm. Not every night." Sasuke yawned.

It was more like every other night. It used to be every night but Hiroto was getting better sleeping through the night on his own. Eventually, he'd grow out of this phase. The time he spent with Hiroto at two in the morning would become a thing of the past and the more he thought about it the more it unsettled him. Sasuke rubbed away at the tightening of his chest. It hadn't been a full twenty-four hours yet but any thought of his sons made his chest tighten uncomfortably in a way he'd only previously felt when apart from Hinata.

"Ok." Fugaku whispered tiredly into the phone. "He's asleep now."

"Good." Sasuke yawned again, stepping away from the edge of the balcony. "He should sleep through the night now."

Sasuke moved to take the phone away from his ear. Now that his father had gotten assistance he wasn't one to dally with small talk. He paused though when he heard his name whispered through the phone.

"Yes?" He said, confused as to what else his father could want. There was a long pause of silence as though his father was searching for something to say but couldn't bring himself to say the words that came to mind.

"Nothing."

With that his father hung up the phone and Sasuke was left perplexed. His confusion only lasted for a second before he shrugged his shoulders and went back to bed. He had learned long ago that he would never understand his father. Inside of the hotel room, Hinata was awake, rubbing her right eye groggily.

"H-Hiro woke up didn't he?" She mumbled sleepily. "Is he okay?"

"Hn." He grunted as he approached the bed. "Go back to sleep."

Once he slipped back into the bed Hinata immediately latched onto him for warmth. She mumbled something incomprehensible as she squirmed closer to him for comfort. Sasuke sighed to himself and wrapped his arms around her small frame. He enjoyed the feeling of holding her close but something was missing. More specifically, two fussy somethings that liked to kick him in the middle of the night.

"I miss them." Hinata sighed as sleep took over and her breathing evened out.

Sasuke pressed his lips to the top of her head and let out a deep breath.

"Me too."

 **…..**

 **Saturday, May 29, 2019, 1:59 am**

 **Uchiha Penthouse #2**

 **...**

Fugaku frowned as he closed the door to the guest room where the twins were both finally sleeping soundly. If all it took was a little humming he should have called Sasuke a lot sooner. He paused to stretch his sore muscles before he headed down the hall towards the master bedroom. It was only the first day with the twins and already he felt as though he'd been run over by a truck. He had no idea how Sasuke and Hinata managed dealing with them every day but they were going to have to employ a nanny sooner or later. Those boys were too much to handle without one. Fugaku made a mental note to look into which of the retired women among the clan would be a good fit for the twins later on. Yawning, he opened the door to the master bedroom to find his wife still awake, leaning against the window sill and gazing out at the lights of the city below.

"You should be asleep." He said as he walked over to hesitantly, unsure if she even wanted him around.

She turned to him with a sad smile on her lips, her eyes taking on that glassy quality again with tears that she refused to let fall.

"Mikoto-" he started but she turned her head away from him and sniffed.

"You got Hiro to sleep." She whispered. "That's good."

"You don't sound happy about it." He said and Mikoto let out a short, almost choked, laugh.

She crossed her arms over her chest, rubbing her hands up and down as though to warm herself even though it wasn't cold. Her tough aura from before had finally dissipated but that didn't sit well with him. He'd rather have her yelling at him again then looking so...defeated. He took a few steps closer and wrapped his arms around her, part of him afraid that she might pull away. Instead, she sank back into him just as she had a million times before on nights just like this one. On nights when she was tired. On nights when she was lonely and he'd returned to bed in the wee hours of the morning. On nights when their children had driven her up the wall. She always sank back into him without prompt or hesitance.

"I wish..." She whispered, her words catching in her throat. "Things had been different..."

Fugaku rested his chin on top of her head and took a deep breath. She smelled the same as she always had since the day he met her. That cinnamon scent that clung to her skin and distracted him even when he was buried under the weight of his responsibilities.

"You regret marrying me."

His words hung heavy in the night air between them. A soft hand caressed his forearm gently, slowly, as though trying to convey a sense of comfort she knew he needed.

"You gave me two wonderful sons. I couldn't ask for more."

 **….**

 **Monday June 1 2019 1:00pm**

 **Johoku Park**

 **...**

The next two days passed by in a blur for Fugaku. The twins constantly kept him on his feet but he was starting to not mind it so much. It was far better than stewing in his retirement in his office alone and the twins weren't so bad when he spent more time with them. In fact, they were a lot better than the other children that were currently screaming their heads off in the park. Fugaku's right eye twitched as he watched a chubby little boy with curly brown hair sit on the edge of the sandbox and eat the sand inside.

Other children were tumbling around on the playground equipment and every so often their squeals of amusement were pierced with cries of pain. Inevitably a parent with find their child in the fray of other tiny beings and comfort them until they were up and playing again. The twins were not big enough to play on the playground equipment nor were they curious about the sandbox like the other small children their ages. Secretly Fugaku was proud of that fact since it meant they weren't eating sand like _some_ children.

No, Thing One and Thing Two were much happier sticking close to each other and playing near the many flower beds that dotted the park. They pulled at the vibrant petals and stuck their fingers in the dirt but they didn't mess up the flowerbeds too much. Much to his surprise they were fairly well behaved when they weren't cooped up in the house, a fact that he wished he'd known on day one instead of finding out now.

"We're by the sandbox...oh can you see us? No?"

Fugaku looked over at his wife who had her cell phone pressed to one ear and her finger in the other. Were they supposed to be meeting someone? Mikoto stood up from the park bench and started waving one of her hands around frantically.

"I see you! I see you! I'm the one waving, yea!"

The former patriarch turned his head to see who Mikoto was waving to. He was met with the sight of his son and the Hyuuga girl entering the park from the sidewalk. Sasuke's eyes met his almost immediately before he tapped the shoulder of his companion to point her in the right direction. Her pale eyes widened when she saw Mikoto waving and she rushed forward. Fugaku thought she would have stopped to acknowledge them, which was what proper manners dictated, but the Hyuuga girl was too excited to stop. She gave them a quick, half-hearted bow in passing before she ran over to the twins.

Once the boys caught sight of their mother they stopped playing in the flower bed and cried out for her with big grins on their faces. The Hyuuga girl was spurred on by their excitement and hurried to get closer to them. She kneeled down in the grass and Thing One and Thing Two immediately started trying to climb all over her. Fugaku huffed at the display, a bit miffed that the twins were being so affectionate. One would think that the trio had been separated for years instead of only a few days.

"You're back a little early." Mikoto said, her voice tearing Fugaku away from the twins being showered with kisses. "We did expect you to return until tonight."

Sasuke smirked, bending at the waist so that he could lean against the back of the park bench with his forearms.

"Did the Hyuuga girl rush you back?" Fugaku asked and Sasuke shook his head.

"She's not a Hyuuga. At least not for much longer." He said flatly and Mikoto let out a gasp of surprise.

"Sasuke!" She cried and rushed around to the other side of the park bench to throw her arms around his neck. "Congratulations!"

"Mother." Sasuke protested, bristling slightly at his mother's flamboyant affections. She kissed his cheeks and ruffled his hair despite stiffness.

"Oh! I'm so happy! Tell me how you proposed! I want all the details!" Mikoto rambled but suddenly let go of Sasuke as if he'd set her on fire. "The ring! Oh, I want to see the ring!"

The corner of Fugaku's lip twitched as Mikoto took off towards her soon to be daughter-in-law and grandchildren, nearly tackling the younger woman to the ground when she reached her. The Uchiha men watched on with mildly amused looks on their faces although to most onlookers they appeared impassive.

"Have you informed your brother?" Fugaku asked stiffly as Sasuke straightened his stance.

The younger Uchiha shoved his hands into his pockets, dark eyes trained on his small family by the flower bed. Fugaku raised a curious eyebrow at his son's body language. The boy was selfish and entitled on a good day but if he wasn't mistaken he appeared almost...protective.

"Hinata was able to get ahold of Hanabi on the phone just before she and Itachi set off for the summer."

Fugaku nodded his head, biting back the frown that was threatening to emerge. His eldest son spent far too much time with the _other_ Hyuuga girl. If it wasn't for the fact that the girl had to return to school every fall he'd be more concerned about the amount of time they spent together. One Hyuuga in the family was more than enough. Fugaku shook his head and ran a weary hand through his hair.

"I suppose it was for the best that the Hyuuga girl rushed back then." Fugaku sighed and Sasuke shook his head, the tips of his ears turning red.

This caused the older man to let out a gruff chuckle at his son's reaction. Sasuke was blushing! He would have never believed it unless he saw it for himself. He looked away from his embarrassed son and back to the flowerbeds. Thing One and Thing Two were climbing all over their mother and grandmother, eager for attention as the two women adamantly discussed the news of the engagement. The sun caught the light on the Hyuuga girl's ring making it sparkle and captured the twins' curiosity. They grabbed at their mother's fingers and Thing One tried to put the ring in his mouth but found the taste of metal unappealing. The Hyuuga girl didn't even notice the drool on her hand, she was too absorbed in Mikoto's rapid line of questioning.

After another hour in the park, the family packed the twins back into their double stroller and started to head back towards home. Mikoto gushed over the twins departure even though she was going to see them again soon. They only lived one floor up after all! However, Fugaku couldn't fault his wife's attachment to their grandsons. Thing One and Thing Two were a handful but he was going to miss the sound of them tumbling around the apartment. Their presence kept him out of his office and on his toes instead of contemplating his rapid aging. They kept him near his wife and made her smile in a way that he hadn't been able to accomplish in a long while.

He looked down at the woman in question, her eyes watching the receding backs of her son and his soon to be wife. Her teeth nibbled on her bottom lip, abusing the soft flesh as she was lost in thought. Once again he was reminded of why he fell in love with her in the first place. Her thoughtful nature and patience...the fact that she remained just as beautiful as the day he met her without even trying. Slowly her eyes tore away from their son's departure and she looked back at him. Dark eyes softened as she looked at him and her eyes crinkled with the spread of a broad smile.

"What are you looking at?" She asked.

"Nothing." He said, the corners of his lips twitching upward as his wife leaned closer with a skeptical look in her eye.

"You know I always know when you're lying Fugaku." She chided. "You were looking at me, weren't you! Is there something on my face? Oooo Fugaku you have to tell me these things! You'd let me walk around looking silly, wouldn't you? You're the-"

The former Uchiha head silenced his worrisome wife with a short kiss. When he pulled away she looked up at him with wide eyes before a slow, sweet smile spread across her face.

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **M is for Loyalty**

 _The only thing that kept the night from spiraling wildly out of control was the fact that Ino had made Naruto vow to abide by one simple rule. No strippers._


	13. M is for Loyalty

**CCNote** **: Today is my birthday (yay 25) so here's my gift to all of you. Thanks for reading my stories throughout this year. I'm very grateful to everyone that takes time out of their lives to even glance at my work.**

 **Huge THANK YOU to a guest who pointed out a continuity error in the last chapter in regards to dates that conflicted with J is for Returns. Dates for that chapter have been changed. Thanks for letting me know. Since this is a nonlinear story, keeping dates straight is very important.**

 **Also sorry if I mislead some people into thinking this was a NaruIno chapter. They will have another chapter (O is for Destruction) but it's not this one.**

 **As always, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Excuse mistakes I've missed, I'll go back and change them! Don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **M is for Loyalty**

 **Friday October 1 2019 8:10pm**

 **Gobi Hotel- Konoha Branch**

 **...**

"Those two are complete idiots." Tenten scoffed as she poured herself and Hinata another healthy serving of Cabernet.

"I think it's cute." Hinata smiled and happily accepted her wine glass.

Tenten's lips twitched with barely contained amusement. Hinata knew that her best friend was trying to be the voice of reason in the group but even she had to admit that the antics of her little sister and Ino were funny. Currently, the two women were having an enthusiastic karaoke session full of hip thrusting and twirls that made Hinata dizzy just trying to keep up with them.

"So. Are you ready for tomorrow?" Tenten asked, taking the Hyuuga's attention away from Ino and Hanabi's mini concert.

Hinata gulped and shook her head. She was most certainly _not_ ready. The venue for the reception was already set up perfectly. The caterers were ready and the flowers had arrived in pristine condition. Everyone who was meant to be a part of the wedding party or was supposed to be in attendance were already in town, many of them were staying in this very hotel. Everything and everyone was ready...except for her. It wasn't that she was afraid of marrying Sasuke. Their sons tied them together in a way that ensured that he would always be apart of her life whether she wanted him to be there or not. Luckily she knew that she wanted to remain by his side no matter what life threw at them. Whenever she wasn't by his side it was like to a piece of her being missing and when he returned she became whole.

It wasn't their union that made her feel unprepared but the ceremony that surrounded it. The process of merging the Uchiha and Hyuuga corporations was now complete. The construction of the new headquarters was almost finished and company profits were at an all-time high. The success drew investors to their side in droves, allowing for new business ventures to open up for their company. While the success was great it also came with unwarranted media attention. Not much happened in the city of Konoha so the occasion of two of the most powerful clans merging together in more ways than one had captured the attention of the citizenry.

Late night hosts poured over the guest lists, trying to decipher who was invited and who'd been snubbed. Others bought or sold stock in other companies based off of these guest lists. Apparently not being invited was akin to there being something 'wrong' with a company. There had to be something wrong if the Uchihas and Hyuugas didn't trust you enough to attend such an important event! Not only were people pouring over the politics of the guest list but also digging into their backgrounds. Rumors were starting to swirl of a secret relationship between her and the best man, Naruto Uzumaki.

They told of a jealous rivalry between the two for the former heiress' heart, completely cutting out the fact that Naruto was happily married with a child of his own. How could the future Hokage be happy with a woman like Ino? A woman with no formal higher education or pedigree? How could be satisfied with such a lowly woman when an heiress was also within his reach? No, a story about a happily married man did not sell tabloid magazines or bring eyeballs to midday talk shows. As with everything, the rumors would die down and they'd be allowed to fade into the background when some other big thing caught the public's attention. Until then she was left with a terrible, gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach and the attention of people she wanted nothing to do with. Tenten reached out and grabbed her hand. Hinata squeezed back, leaning to the side so that she could rest her head against her sister in law's shoulder.

Tomorrow would be filled with prying eyes and cameras but for now, she felt it best to push all of that trepidation out of her mind. The twins were having a quiet evening with their paternal grandparents and she had her closest friends and family surrounding her. The Hyuuga smiled as she watched her little sister skip around the hotel room with an empty soda bottle for a microphone. She hardly ever got to see Hanabi now that she was in school and if she wasn't in school she was off traipsing the country with Itachi. Sometimes she worried about Hanabi and Itachi. They rarely called when they were away but when they got back Hanabi was always brimming with the stories of things she'd seen and done. Seeing Hanabi so happy assuaged any worries Hinata might have even though her sister was picking up rather outlandish skills along the way. The promise of summer adventures also kept Hanabi focused on her school work throughout the year. Neji refused to accept anything less than top scores in exchange for letting her go.

Hinata took a sip of her wine and sighed. Hanabi was growing up so fast now, it was hard to see her as the little delinquent who skipped school frequently and liked to sneak into her bed at night. The teen in question seemed to sense that she was being studied and turned her sights on Hinata. The elder gulped she knew that look. Almost predatorily Hanabi stalked over, Hinata shaking her head furiously all the while.

"C'mon Hinata! It's been so long!" She whined as she pounced on the bed. Hinata barely had time to put her wine on the bedside table to keep it from spilling everywhere.

"Hanabi-" she protested.

"Please! Please! Please!" The teen insisted and Hinata sighed.

She might be getting more mature but her little sister still had a lot of growing up to do. Hanabi cheered at Hinata's concession and stopped jumping on the bed. She handed her older sister the empty soda bottle with a wide grin on her face and Hinata reluctantly accepted it. Ino cheered as the Hyuuga girls got off of the bed and joined her in front of the t.v. as a new song was just about to come on.

"Stop the presses!" A muffled voice through the suite's door yelled. The doorknob jiggled for a bit but soon the door was flung open wide. "The main event has arrived!"

"Temari!" Ino squealed and jumped up and down with excitement. In her enthusiasm, she tripped over her own feet and fell face first onto the floor.

"Someone's started drinking without me." Temari laughed and stepped into the hotel suite.

Around her neck was a large, flamboyantly pink, feather boa. Behind her, Matsuri stepped into the room, swamped down with dozens of boutique shopping bags. The blonde surveyed the room and frowned.

"What kind of bachelorette party is this?" She sniffed, tossing one end of the boa over her neck. "Where's the loud music? The copious amounts of booze? Most importantly where are the half-naked boys?"

"Hinata prefers more low-key events." Tenten bristled, unappreciative of Temari's criticism.

As the Maid of Honor, it was her job to plan Hinata's bachelorette party and she'd taken great care to not have anything that would make her uncomfortable. That meant no loud music, no hard liquor, and most definitely no half-naked men. Hinata's face was already bright pink at the mere mention of naked men!

"Well, then I guess I'll have to liven this place up." Temari huffed and started taking shopping bags away from a rather nervous looking Matsuri.

As the blonde began rummaging through the shopping bags, Matsuri bowed low to Hinata.

"Sorry for the intrusion but Temari insisted she needed my help." The young woman said and Hinata hurried across the room to help her up from her formal greeting.

"Don't apologize! The more the merrier!" The Hyuuga said as she smiled at Matsuri. "Long time no see."

"It's nice to see you again. Congratulations by the way!"

Hinata's smile widened. Maybe it was because of the wine but she felt warm and fuzzy seeing Matsuri again under less auspicious circumstances.

"Ah!" Temari announced, pulling a large bottle of expensive brown liquor out of her bag. "Here it is! Is the squirt old enough to drink?"

Hanabi glared at Temari and crossed her arms over her chest defiantly.

"I'm not a squirt and I can drink you under the table old lady."

"You're on!"

"Um, Temari..." Hinata started, interrupting the friendly rivalry that was about to ensue between her sister and Temari. "What's in the rest of the bags?"

Matsuri had been bogged down by way too many bags for there to only be alcohol. Temari's sly smile also denoted the fact that there was more inside of the bags than any of them had bargained for. Without hesitation, she reached into a bright pink bag and pulled out a tiny cheetah print thong with the tags still attached.

"We've gotta pick out what you're wearing for your wedding night!" she said cheerily. "There's a lot more where this came from for the honeymoon too!"

All of the color drained from Hinata's face as she scurried to shield Hanabi's eyes from the debauchery.

 **….**

 **Friday October 1 2019 10:21pm**

 **Illy Rooftop Bar**

 **...**

"Naruto get him down from there!" Neji hissed but the blonde merely shook his head.

"Woo! Go, Lee! Go, Lee!" He cheered, egging the bushy-browed dancer on.

The corner of Sasuke's lip twitched as Lee continued to dance on top of their booth table. Perhaps it was the crisp fall air mixed with the copious amounts of alcohol that he'd consumed but the Uchiha didn't mind the spectacle too much. If he were being completely honest, it was a rather amusing. However, he'd rather die than _ever_ admit to Naruto that he was enjoying himself.

"Get down Lee!" Neji insisted and tried to grab onto the enthusiastic dancer's wrist but Lee spun away.

"Come on Neji!" He slurred as he thrust his hips from one side to the other. "You are only young once! We should enjoy a fresh autumn night such as this one by taking full advantage of what our bodies can do. That means dancing the night away!"

"Yea!" Naruto agreed, bouncing a bit in his seat as well. He'd likely get up there on the table as well if had a few more drinks.

Neji shook his head and slumped lower in his seat, clearly outmaneuvered by the will of their drunk friends. Sasuke smirked at the new Hyuuga head's discomfort as he brought his glass to his lips. Upon finding it empty, he frowned and moved to get up from the booth. Neji saw him trying to slide out and grabbed his wrist. Long calloused fingers wrapped around the appendage and pale eyes narrowed in desperation.

"Don't you dare leave me here with them." He threatened as Naruto and Lee continued to make fools of themselves.

"It's not as bad as it could be." Sasuke smirked and Neji let go of his wrist with a visible shudder at just how much worse it could have been.

The only reason things weren't going off the rails was because Ino had made Naruto promise no strippers. Otherwise, there would be naked women dancing on the table instead of Lee.

"If you insist on leaving me, bring me back a whiskey."

Sasuke raised a curious eyebrow at the usually stoic man.

"I'm the groom. Shouldn't you be the one getting me a drink?"

"Hyuugas don't buy drinks for Uchihas."

At that statement, Sasuke rolled his eyes and lazily shoved his hands into his pockets. Their families' rivalry was little more than political banter for them. Although the animosity was still very much real between Hiashi and Fugaku, Sasuke and Neji found it to be more of a joke. Especially with the merge going as well as it was there was no reason to harbor actual ill will towards one another. With an indignant shrug of his shoulders, the groom made his way towards the bar.

The rooftop bar was sparsely populated that night. Mostly overworked businessmen, zealous entrepreneurs, and high powered attornies occupied the space. Naruto's bodyguards had scoped the place out beforehand to ensure that there would be no paparazzi present to catch the future Hokage slipping. They were also downstairs near the entrance screening people as they arrived which was startling to many people who just wanted a drink but these kinds of precautions were neccessary. The bar itself was pretty relaxed as the bartender noticed his approach. Sasuke slipped easily onto an open stool and motioned for the bartender that he was ready to order.

"Fancy seeing you here." A sultry voice whispered in his ear. If Sasuke were a lesser man he would have jumped at the close proximity of the voice's owner but instead, he lazily turned his head.

Smiling coyly was his former pink-haired assistant taking up the empty bar stool next to him. Her green eyes were brighter than the last time he saw her but then again everything looked dull when Hinata and his sons were around. He actually hadn't seen her around too much but he did hear about her in passing sometimes from Naruto. Usually, he was complaining about Sakura cutting into his alone time with Ino. She never visited Ino when the girls were all together and showed up at the Hokage mansion at some very inopportune times.

"Good evening Sakura." He said cordially and turned his eyes towards the bartender who was starting to make the drink he'd ordered.

"So formal." She sighed and placed a hand on his forearm just like she used to do. "You'd think we hardly knew each other."

Sasuke grunted and slid his arm off of the bar top so that she was no longer touching him. When they'd worked together he'd thought that her need for physical contact was just a personality quirk, one that he was willing to put up with because she was excellent at her job. Now...it felt different. It felt as though he was being marked, as though she was just reclaiming her property. The Uchiha shoved the thought out of his head. His drunk mind was making him paranoid.

"How have you been?" She asked, unperturbed by his snub. "How are things at the office? The harpies haven't gotten their claws into you have they?"

"Fine. Things are normal. No." He answered and she giggled at his clipped response.

"You always did get straight to the point. I'm glad that hasn't changed." She sighed.

Sasuke looked at her curiously and a light blush dusted over her cheeks. Why was she blushing? Nothing he said was the least bit embarrassing so why was her face changing colors? She twirled a bit of her around her finger, fidgeting under his calculating gaze. She grabbed her own drink and nearly downed the rest of the glass in a single gulp. Why was she so nervous? The Uchiha didn't have much time to ponder her behavior as the bartender finally set two drinks in front of him and held his hand out for payment. Sasuke reached for his wallet to pay put Sakura already had her card out and was handing it to the bartender. Seeing her pay made him stiffen suspiciously, putting his wallet back into his pocket. Sakura noticed his shift in demeanor and smiled.

"It's the least I can do."

"What do you mean?" He asked flatly.

Sakura blushed and leaned closer to him. He could smell the liquor on her breath.

"You're so serious Sasuke. After working together for so long isn't it normal for me to buy you a drink. As former colleagues of course." She said and boldly placed a hand on his thigh under the bar top.

Sasuke pushed her hand away and started to stand up from the bar stool, drinks be damned. Sakura grabbed the edge of his shirt sleeve to keep him from leaving.

"Sakura you're drunk." He said flatly as she stood up from her stool as well, still holding onto his shirt sleeve all the while.

"So?" She replied glibly with a shrug of her shoulders. "I'm sure you've been drinking as well."

Sasuke jerked his sleeve out from her fingers, causing her to stumble forward. Several nearby patrons looked at the couple curiously. The bartender narrowed his eyes and shook his head at the move. How could he treat this woman so coldly after she bought him a drink? Sakura was also doing a good job adding to the pitying looks by her shoulder's slumping and a dejected look on her face. If he wasn't careful she might actually start crying. With a huff, he grabbed Sakura's wrist and dragged her away towards the exit for the bar. There in the dim stairwell, he pulled her towards the bathrooms where the hallway was thankfully deserted. Once satisfied that they had some semblance of privacy he let her arm go as if it burned him.

"Sakura-" He started but she closed the distance between them, pressing her body up against his. Sasuke pushed her away with more force than he'd intended and the motion made her stumble back. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Sasuke." She pouted. "You're the one who practically dragged me over here to a dark corner. You of all people know what adults do in dark corners."

"I brought you here to keep from making a scene-"

"Oh _really_?"

Her voice sounded incredulous and while the circumstances they found themselves in warranted skepticism he had no intentions of doing what 'adults do in dark corners'. Least of all with Sakura. She confidently took a step closer to him, reaching out in the dark to touch him again.

"Sakura stop. I'm sure you very well know that I'm getting married tomorrow." He spat, taking a step back from her but finding his back pressed up against the wall.

"Everyone knows that one of the precious Uchiha sons is getting married tomorrow." Sakura giggled as she took a step forward. "Tonight is your last night of freedom right? Why not indulge? Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like? You...and me."

"No." He said flatly and pushed her away again.

"There is no way you are satisfied by only one woman. Especially one that's boring like _Hinata._ " She spat.

Sasuke bristled at the venom with which she used to refer to the Hyuuga woman. The distaste that she had for someone who belonged to him felt like a slap in the face. It was as if she were insulting him. His upper lip curled as he tried to restrain his temper.

"I know that I would be a better match for you. You don't even know what she's don-"

"Pathetic. I would have thought you'd have gotten over your childish crush by now."

"It's not a crush-"

"I don't care what it is. Get rid of it."

"Sasuke-"

"Hinata is the mother of my children and tomorrow she will be my wife. There is no room for your feelings if you wish to continue to associate with either of us in any capacity. If I had my way you would never breathe the same air as Hinata but for some reason, she still holds an affection for you. Listen to me well. Try anything like this again and you _will_ regret it."

His voice was hard and distant, as though reprimanding an employee for subpar work. He didn't understand Sakura's continued affection for him and quite frankly he didn't give a damn to try. Her shoulders slumped as his cold words washed over her. Maybe this time it would actually sink in and she could move on. He didn't care either way but situations like this could not be allowed to escalate, especially not in public. Hell would freeze over before he allowed a compromising photo of himself to get out to the press or a scandal to brew. Sakura's bottom lip trembled as he pushed past her to rejoin the rest of his bachelor party.

"Sasuke." She whispered, the sadness in her voice bringing him to pause. "Congratulations."

When he returned to the table, Lee had finally gotten down from his dancing stage and was now 'resting his eyes' on the table. Naruto was no longer there but was easy to spot at the bar ordering more drinks. Neji eyed him suspiciously as he slid back into the booth.

"No drinks." The Hyuuga said dryly and Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't in the mood to drink anymore. After a long stretch of silence, Neji spoke again.

"I saw you leave with Sakura." He said simply but Sasuke wasn't perturbed.

"Nothing happened."

The two men stared each other down across the table, neither one's gaze wavering. For a moment Sasuke was reminded of just how short of a fuse the Hyuuga possessed. It had only taken a split second for Neji to punch Naruto in the jaw because of Hinata. He would have done a lot worse if they hadn't had more pressing matters to attend to. Sasuke was more than confident that he could take the brunette on in a fight but he'd rather not have to do that. Stiffly, Neji leaned forward with his jaw clenched.

"I will say this only once Uchiha." He said. "If you hurt her. I will kill you."

 **…..**

 **Saturday October 2 2019 2:00pm**

 **Atami Shrine**

 **...**

Gathered together in the courtyard of their ancient family shrine was a sight that many would have thought would never happen. One half of the crowd wore crème and silver colored kimonos made of expensive silks, all of which had been painstakingly hand-embroidered and handed down through generations. The other half was a stark contrast of all tailored black suits and expensive dark dresses. Countless sets of pupilless eyes, some pearl others onyx, were waiting patiently to bear witness to a unique moment in both of their lives. A moment that had their ancestors rolling in their graves and the future uncertain. A union that was not only between two people who'd found themselves amongst a sea of many. Nor was this merely a blending of families, both prestigious within in their own right. No, this was a reunion of blood. Of the rebellious faction in their family tree finally returning, rendering them whole once more. This was the day that the Uchiha and Hyuuga became a family once again. Despite the misgivings of many of the elders of both factions, this was a day that would mark a new era for their clans.

The youngest Uchiha head to date understood the magnanimity of what was about to happen but was utterly unfazed by it. It was merely the last step to making what was already a reality for him official in the eyes of the world. He adjusted his black tie for what might have been the millionth time, dark eyes scanning his reflection to ensure not a hair was out of place.

"Are you ready little brother?" Itachi asked as he picked up Hajime from the floor.

Sasuke tore his eyes away from the mirror and nodded his head. He watched as his eldest son calmly allowed himself to be held by his uncle. To most, this would be seen as normal but Sasuke knew his sons better than anyone. It took them awhile to warm up to most people and family was no exception. Itachi, however, was a special case when it came to the twins. They'd both latched onto him the moment he met them for the first time. Their big black eyes and locked onto him and whenever he was around they'd follow him like little shadows.

"You shouldn't call me 'little' brother." Sasuke scoffed as he stood up from the floor. "I am supposed to be your Head."

"You will always be my little brother." Itachi replied, smirking at his brother's arrogance.

The smirk, while genuine, had a certain tired quality about it. He was paler than normal and the bags under his eyes were more pronounced. He was still the same Itachi he'd always known but something was off.

"Are you alright Itachi?" Sasuke asked and Itachi laughed.

"I should be asking _you_ that question. Your bachelor party was last night but you're not even remotely hung over. I must admit that I'm a little disappointed."

"Hn."

Sasuke shook his head and approached his son and brother. After the run-in with Sakura at the bar, he had no desire to drink anymore. Just the thought of her left a sour taste in his mouth. A most unwelcome sensation since this was supposed to be a happy occasion. He pushed the thoughts of his old secretary out of his mind as he stroked his son's cheek. Eyes much like his own blinked back at him.

Despite the strange aura that hung over his brother, Sasuke was grateful that he was there. Itachi never came home anymore but standing here with him felt as though he'd never left. He was still the shadow he looked up to and the shoes he'd never be able to fill. Three sharp knocks against the frame of the door broke the Uchiha men from their comfortably shared silence. The shoji door slid open, letting a crisp fall wind into the room. Naruto smiled brightly at them in his dark, well-tailored suit and bright orange tie. He _should_ have worn a black tie like Sasuke had repeatedly told him to but the loudmouth never followed directions.

"Its time to get married bastard!" He said, his enthusiasm making Itachi chuckle and Sasuke's eyebrow twitch with irritation.

Naruto opened the shoji wider to allow the Uchiha's to leave the tatami room. Sasuke stepped out of the room, flanked on either side by his companions, and regarded the mass of people before him. A heavy hush washed over the crowd as they watched him descend the stairs into the courtyard. Gravel crunched underfoot as he made his way to the mouth of the large divide between the two factions, all eyes boring into him. At the other end of the aisle was the building that held Hinata. A sharp three knocks from Tenten resounded through the courtyard and the shojo door slid open.

Hanabi exited the room first, elegantly dressed in a bright yellow kimono that denoted her honor as a daughter of the main house. If one didn't know any better someone might mistake her for a well-bred lady. At least they would until she opened her mouth and immediately proved them wrong. Sasuke had to admit though that the brat cleaned up nicely. In her arms, she held Hiroto who was thankfully on his best behavior at the moment.

The Hyuuga girl stepped aside to allow Neji to stand beside her. The new Hyuuga head stood stone-faced as he regarded the crowd momentarily. He bowed deeply to his own faction, long brown hair falling around his shoulders as he did so. The Hyuuga returned the gesture in kind while the Uchiha clan remained straight. Neji then turned back to the room that held Hinata and bowed one more time. He stepped aside to let Hinata leave the room and Sasuke's breath caught in his throat.

There she stood, pale eyes downcast and framed by thick black lashes. Her white wedding kimono was covered in a bright red furisode, embroidered richly with golden cranes and koi fish. Sasuke hadn't even realized he was holding his breath until her foot touched the gravel and she finally looked up at him. All at once the world began to turn again, it's axis solely relying on one woman. One small woman who had more power over him than he ever cared to admit but had relinquished willingly. One woman who was willing to bind herself to him forever despite the fact that she deserved better.

However, he was a selfish man. Even though he knew that she could so much better than him he would still bind himself to her. In every sense of the word, she belonged to him. A small smile spread across her face as she looked at him from the other side of the aisle. It was such a small gesture but it made him want to bound across the divide and kiss her senseless. Instead, he settled for walking, one slows step at a time until he met her in the middle. On either side, Naruto and Itachi followed him closely just as Tenten and Hanabi followed Hinata and Neji.

When the two parties met in the middle, both families bowed low and stayed there with anticipation and respect. Neji took Hinata's hand and took a few steps closer to Sasuke. Each step brought her closer to him, each infuriatingly slow step. Hinata's pale eyes stared back at him as though he was the only person that existed. As though the countless sets of familiar eyes set on them weren't even there. He lost himself in their depths and wouldn't have resurfaced unless Neji had cleared his throat.

"I present to you, Hyuuga Hinata. Eldest daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi. Mother of Hajime and Hiroto Uchiha, heirs to the Uchiha clan..."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **N is for Promises**

 _All good things must come to an end._


	14. N is for Promises

**CCNote : Thanks for all the birthday wishes ya'll! They really mean a lot to me! I may or may not be able to squeeze out one more chapter between now and Christmas break. Keep your fingers crossed! If I do manage to finish the next chapter before the break, it will likely be the longest one to date.**

 **In other news, I just resigned a contract to stay at my school for another year woo! 2018-2019 will likely be my last year at this school and I can already feel my tears starting to form. The bonenkai tonight reminded me how much I'm appreciated at the school and while I'd love to stay longer than another year home is calling me.**

 **As always please ignore my glaring mistakes and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **N is for Promises**

 **Monday, June 12, 2018, 4:36 am**

 **Tokai Mountains**

 **...**

The frigid night air of the Tokai mountains bit at her lungs, turning the tips of her ears and nose red, but she didn't mind. It was the first time she'd ever been awake at an hour before the sun had risen all summer. The first time she'd ever been awake before Itachi. The Uchiha rose with the sun and always escaped from the bed carefully so as not to disturb her. She knew instantly when he disappeared despite the diligence he always took to replace his body with pillows.

 _'I like the way the sky looks when the sun rises in the morning.'_

What was so special about a sunrise? She'd never really thought about it before. The sun rose in the east and set in the west, day in and day out. Without fail it was surely the same every morning...yet...Nagato would never see another one. For him, the sun had set for the last time. What was it like to realize that the sun would rise again and you would never see it? That the world would continue to move on without you in it? Hanabi sighed and pulled her knees up from over the edge of the deck, hugging them close to her chest.

"You're up early." A soft feminine voice said as the back door creaked open. "I didn't expect anyone to be out here today."

Hanabi quickly stood up from the deck in surprise at the intrusion.

"Oh, I'm sorry-"

"No need to apologize." Konan smiled and crossed the deck to stand next to her. "I could use the company."

The older woman leaned against the wooden railing with her forearms, looking out pensively to the still dark forest. A far off quality took over her face as though she were recalling something from long ago. The corners of her lips twitched upward at the memory that only she could revel in. As Hanabi watched her, she marveled at how Konan was even able to manage a smile, however small it was. This was her home. A man who considered her family had just died not even forty-eight hours ago. How could she manage to remain so calm?

"Don't you love how calm it is at a time like this?" Konan said, taking in a deep breath through her nose and exhaling slowly. Her eyes slid closed and she repeated the breathing exercise several times before she opened them. "Yes. I'm going to miss this."

"You're leaving already?" Hanabi asked, startled that Konan was already thinking about her next move. Why wasn't she mourning? Why wasn't she sad? Did Nagato not mean anything to her?

"Not immediately but soon."

"Why?" Hanabi knew her tone was taking on a slightly accusatory edge to it but she couldn't hold it back.

"There is nothing left for us here."

"Nothing..." The Hyuuga mumbled. "Nagato-"

"Is dead yes." Konan said, her voice barely above a whisper. The biting mountain wind carried her words away but the weight of them remained on the deck.

"How can you be so nonchalant about him? Didn't you care about him at all?" Hanabi snapped.

Konan finally tore her golden eyes away from the trees to stare quizzically at the Hyuuga. Hanabi knew that she was overstepping her bounds. She barely knew this woman but her cavalier attitude about Nagato hit her in a way she didn't expect.

"You've never loved or been loved. Not truly." She said flatly.

Hanabi bristled at her assessment, turning her head away. The closest thing she had to 'love' that wasn't familial was Konohamaru and that was a wound that would take awhile to heal. She could still feel those golden eyes looking at her, analyzing her naivety that she unwittingly wore on her sleeve. When Konan spoke again, the dark sky began to turn a velvety shade of navy blue.

"I have loved Nagato all my life. I will always have a place for him in my heart for the rest of it...however long or short a time that may be. Love is just as much about letting go as it caring about another person. No matter how sweet it is. How perfect it is. It always ends." She said, finally turning away from Hanabi's side. "Nothing lasts forever Hanabi. No matter how much we wish for it to."

Slowly her steps retreated back into the house, leaving Hanabi alone on the deck with pink rays from the sun peeking through the trees.

Nothing lasts forever.

Everyone dies.

Both statements ran repeatedly through her mind, numbing her to their effect but still weighing heavy on her heart. Bit by bit her naivety was being chipped away and she wasn't quite sure she wanted it to be. Neji and Hinata weren't here to protect her...

"You're crying." Itachi called from the back door.

Hanabi reached up and touched her face in surprise. Her cheeks were cold and wet to the touch and more tears continued to fall. Heavy footsteps approached her and she turned away from him. She didn't want Itachi to see her cry, to see her so pathetic. Why wouldn't the tears stop? How long had Itachi been standing there by the back door watching her cry?

"You asked me once if I thought you were pretty." He said calmly, turning her stiff body back around to face him.

 _"Chi...do...do you think I'm pretty?"_

Hanabi could recall the salty ocean air clearly as the night she'd asked him that shallow, insecure question. The bang of the fireworks going off in the sky, vibrantly illuminating the night sky. The feel of Itachi collapsing in her arms and how much he shook as he tried to catch his breath. The way her heart raced when later that night she had to wipe his blood off of her skin. She let out a choked sob, poorly wiping her eyes with the heels of her hands to hide her tears. What an idiotic thing to even be concerned with.

"That was a stupid question." She whimpered. "Just forget I asked. It's stupid-"

"But I want to answer."

Warm fingers wrapped around her wrists, swallowing them whole and pulling them away from her face. Fat tears continued to well up in her eyes but this time she wasn't able to wipe them away. She knew that her cheeks were puffy and red but Itachi didn't appear fazed at all by her appearance.

"Yes." He said and just like that, the floodgates poured out.

Her shoulders shook as more tears fell down uninhibited. She cried for Nagato and the lives he would no longer be a part of. She cried for Konan's loss and the life she would never get to have with Nagato. She cried for Itachi because one day he would face the same fate and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Most of all she cried for herself because she was powerless. She couldn't stop the pain that affected those around her. The pain that would ebb and flow over everyone as surely as the sun would rise tomorrow.

Even though her heart was broken Konan was still able to smile. Even though his body was destroying itself from the inside Itachi was still looking out for those around him. He still cared about her asinine questions from all those nights ago. It felt like a lifetime had passed since those _stupid_ words had tumbled from her lips. Itachi, she decided, wasn't a liar as she'd previously thought. No, he was something much worse. He was an idiot. Despite the tears that refused to stop, she smiled.

"You're s-so stupid Itachi."

"Perhaps. Now stop crying."

 **….**

 **Saturday, August 1, 2018, 5:10 am**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

 **...**

"Are you sure you have everything?"

"For the last time Neji yes! Let's go!"

"Alright, alright. Just checking."

"We are wasting time Hyuuga, let's go."

Hanabi snickered at Sasuke's tired remark but quickly covered her mouth when she caught her older cousin's death glare. They were all tired this morning but none so much as Sasuke who hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in weeks. Next to her Itachi yawned and pressed his head against the window on his side.

With a huff, Neji moved away from the town car window to hurry over to the other side and Hanabi pressed the button to allow for the tinted glass to come up. The car's driver door opened and closed with a slam as Neji slid into the driver's seat. Once he was buckled in, he ignited the engine and pulled away. The eighteen-year-old sighed as she watched the Hyuuga compound recede into the background. The time she'd spent at home had been short, only a week, and it had passed in a blink of an eye. As soon as she set foot back on Hyuuga property she'd been scooped up into a whirlwind of preparation for university. Everything from books to bedding had to be purchased before she was shipped off to school and honestly, she detested the entire process. Gone were the days where she was mostly in command of how she spent her day. She wasn't free to traipse aimlessly around as she'd grown accustomed to doing over the summer and it felt as though someone had clipped her wings. Hanabi sighed and turned so that she could sit properly in her seat. There had been a bright spot though to coming home. She'd discovered she was an aunt to two wonderfully terrible little boys...

 _"Hanabi we really shouldn't barge in on them like this." Itachi groaned as the elevator ascended through the floors of the apartment building. "I learned that lesson the hard way."_

 _"What happened?" She asked but Itachi didn't respond._

 _Instead, he shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the elevator doors. Even though he didn't say anything, Hanabi could deduce that whatever Itachi had 'learned' had been embarrassing since the tips of his ears had turned red. Itachi didn't embarrass easily so it must have been something highly unsettling. Unfortunately, Hanabi was too hyped up with excitement to care about discretion. She hadn't seen or spoken to her family for most of her summer vacation so it was only natural to be excited! Plus she wanted to see just how big her sister had ballooned while she was away and tease her mercilessly for it._

 _Hanabi grinned deviously at the prospect as the elevator doors dinged and slid open for their exit. The teen eagerly skipped out of the elevator with her luggage but Itachi was a bit more apprehensive about his exit. With a huff, she grabbed his wrist with both of her hands and pulled him out of the elevator._

 _"C'mon Chi. You're being a big baby. What could they possibly be doing at a time like this anyway?"_

 _At that statement, his ears turned even redder but he allowed himself to be pulled out of the elevator by his younger companion. Hanabi smiled at her success and slipped her hand down from his wrist to his fingers. She interlocked their fingers together and gave his hand a comforting squeeze._

 _"They're going to be happy to see us I bet. At least Hinata will be. I'm not so sure about Sasuke." She teased as she led him towards the front door._

 _"Why would Sasuke not also be happy?"_

 _"Because he's the jealous type. I took his big brother away for a whole summer. He had to sit behind a desk and do boring paperwork."_

 _Itachi shook his head at her logic as he fished his keys out of his pocket with his free hand. Quickly he unlocked the door and was assaulted by the sounds of screams. The Uchiha and Hyuuga looked to one another, perplexed as to why the penthouse sounded like a nursery. Itachi let go of her hand and pushed his way through the dark foyer. Hanabi followed him inside, perplexed as to why the foyer was also uncharacteristically messy. Shoes were strewn everywhere without much of a care and there were bags trailing from the front door down the hallway._

 _"Hello?" Itachi called out but received no response._

 _The crying got louder the further they entered into the penthouse causing panic to rise within Hanabi. Hinata wasn't due for at least another month or two right? At least that's what she thought her sister had told her before she'd left. A foul smell wafted to their nostrils and Hanabi wrinkled her nose. It smelled like rotten eggs and bad milk. Out of habit, she reached out for the corner of Itachi's shirt sleeve as she followed him into the living room._

 _"Sasuke did you get- Itachi?" A familiar voice called from the adjacent hallway._

 _Hanabi peeked out from behind Itachi's broad frame to see her sister staring at the two of them as if she'd seen a ghost. The elder Hyuuga's appearance reflected the state of disarray around the penthouse to a tee. Her hair was a mess all over her head, skin pale and clothing stained with substances Hanabi didn't even want to imagine. In her arms was a squalling, red-faced baby._

 _"Hanabi?" Her sister gasped before breaking out into a wide smile, misplaced on her fatigued form._

 _"The one and only." Hanabi grinned. "Who's screaming kid is that?"_

 _Hinata's eyes widened in surprise as she looked back down at the crying baby in her arms._

 _"Oh!" She laughed and turned the baby around to face them. "This is Hajime! Your new nephew!"_

 _"You pooped him out already?!" Hanabi shrieked in shock and her nephew started crying even harder._

 _Itachi tapped her on the top of her head for adding to the noise before heading over to Hinata. He took the screaming baby out of her hold and held him out at arms. Hanabi scurried up to Itachi's side to get a better look at the baby as well but couldn't decipher much because the smell was so overpowering._

 _"Hello, Hajime." Itachi said calmly as Hanabi pulled her shirt up over her nose._

 _"He stinks." She grumbled._

 _Luckily Hinata couldn't hear her over the crying but Itachi was close enough that he caught every word. She could feel his death glare boring holes into the side of her head but she ignored him. Behind them, the sound of the front door opening was faint against the tears of the baby. Hinata's face instantly brightened and moved away from them to greet whoever had entered the penthouse. Her movements were stiff and sluggish, very much unlike the graceful older sister she remembered._

 _"How long are babies supposed to cry?" Hanabi groaned as Hajime kept bawling. His little red face looked like it might explode._

 _"I'm not quite sure actually-"_

 _"Itachi?" A deep, tired voice called from behind them._

 _The pair turned around to see Sasuke lumbering into the living room with two large packets of diapers under his arms and plastic grocery bags in each hand. Hinata took one of the diaper packages from under his arms before deftly taking a crying Hajime from Itachi._

 _"Let's go change your stinky." She cooed, shuffling gingerly down the hall and taking the smell with her._

 _Hanabi finally pulled the collar of her shirt down and took a deep breath of non-noxious baby diaper air. Itachi rapted the top of her head again and Hanabi resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him._

 _"You two are finally back." Sasuke said, putting down all of his bags and diapers on the living room floor._

 _Tiredly, he dragged his body over to the couch and immediately sinking into it. The man who had no qualms about slamming a knee into her side looked as though he could be bowled over at any moment by a feather. He closed his eyes and allowed gravity to push him over onto his side on the couch. He let out a muffled 'oomf' when he fell but remained still. Hanabi's left eye twitched seeing the younger Uchiha so tired. If having children meant being tired all the time and smelling like dirty diapers she wanted nothing to do with the entire institution. Curiously, Hanabi walked over to the couch and poked him a few times on his arm but he didn't move._

 _"Is he dead?" Hanabi asked and started to poke his cheek._

 _Sasuke weakly tried to swat her hand away but his attempts were pathetic. Itachi chuckled at his brother's misery._

 _"No, he's just a father now."_

 _"Same difference." Hanabi shrugged, turning back to Itachi who had an amused look on his face._

 _"One day you will be just as exhausted as they are when you have children of your own."_

 _"I don't want kids."_

 _"As always, you know a great many things that you 'don't want'."_

 _Hanabi opened her mouth to retort but Hinata had returned to the living, this time with a second baby in her arms as well. Her sister smiled proudly despite her clear exhaustion. It was strange seeing her sister so happy but it was comforting in a unique way._

 _'She's going to be a great mother.' Hanabi thought to herself. Her eyes cut to Sasuke who was now softly snoring on the couch. 'I'm not so sure about this guy though. Sasuke Uchiha isn't exactly father of the year material.'_

 _"Would you like to hold your nephew?" Hinata asked, breaking Hanabi from her thoughts._

 _Itachi had already reclaimed Hajime in his arms so Hinata was holding his carbon copy out to her. Big black eyes blinked at her, just as perplexed as she was to see him._

 _"This one is Hiroto." She said proudly, pushing him closer to the teen._

 _"I-I don't think I should-" Hanabi began but the flicker of disappointment in her sister's pale eyes was enough to make her open her arms to Hiroto. The last thing she wanted to see was a sad Hinata and at least the baby wasn't crying._

 _"Mind his head." Hinata instructed softly, adjusting Hanabi's nervous arms into the proper position._

 _Obsidian eyes looked back at her, skeptical of her ability to not drop him._

 _"He's so small." Hanabi observed and Hinata nodded as she slumped down onto the couch as well. Despite her joy at seeing them holding her children, she looked as though she were on the verge of passing out just like Sasuke._

 _"They weren't due for two more months at the earliest but they were determined to arrive in June. This is their first week home."_

 _"I'm sorry we missed the birth." Itachi apologized but Hinata waved off his apology with a smile._

 _Hanabi swallowed hard. Yet again she hadn't been there for her sister. What if something horrible had happened while she was away? What if instead of being greeted with crying babies it was her sister crying instead? She looked down at the dark-haired baby in her arms whose eyes had been trained intently on her this entire time. He might only be a few weeks old but there was intelligence there. This one...this one was special. Hiroto Uchiha. Her nephew. The teen sniffed and was happy to find that he smelled good. No stinky diaper on this one...at least not yet. She stroked his soft, fuzzy hair and smiled._

 _"Nice to meet you Hiroto."_

….The twins, despite their fussy dispositions, were the cutest babies she'd ever seen. Maybe she felt that way because she was biased but she was positive her nephews were better than anyone else's. They had to be. They had Hyuuga blood running through their veins after all. Hanabi slumped down slightly in her seat and closed her eyes. The car ride to campus was going to be a few hours at least, and none of her companions appeared to be in a talkative mood. Neji was too focused driving and Sasuke was taking the opportunity to finally get some sleep without interruptions.

Itachi also wasn't in the peppiest of moods either, resigned to trying to sleep against the window. Hanabi frowned as she watched him sleep fitfully. He really needed to take care of himself. What was he going to do while she was away at school? He hadn't indicated whether he would remain in Konoha but she had a feeling that he wouldn't. Konoha just wasn't a place Itachi was meant to be. At the same time, she wasn't sure where Itachi belonged. He probably didn't know either.

 **….**

 **Saturday August 1 2018 1:00pm**

 **Konoha University- Hiraku Co-Ed Honors Dorm (3rd Floor)**

 **...**

"How much useless shit did you pack in this?" Sasuke huffed as he lugged the teen's suitcase down the hall.

Hanabi upturned her nose at his grumbling. It wasn't _that_ bad. The big stuff had already been carried up by the movers. Her measly suitcases were nothing in comparison to the rest of the furniture.

"Quit complaining Sasuke." Itachi said as he climbed the stairs, bag free of course. "It's unbecoming of the head of the Uchiha."

"You're one to talk. You're not carrying anything!" Sasuke snapped back, dropping the bags he did have at his feet.

"That's the breaks, pretty boy." Hanabi shrugged.

While she'd played it off as a joke, she refused to allow Itachi to carry any of her heavy bags up the stairs. Even though he'd slept the entire way, Itachi still looked a little worse for wear in her opinion. When a loaded down Neji finally joined them, Hanabi knocked on the door to her new dorm. The people she would now be living with should already be in the room. Or at least that's what the resident's assistant had said in the lobby. Unfortunately, her knocking was met with silence. Perplexed, she knocked again. Still nothing. Neji frowned and pushed past all of her suitcases to knock on the dorm suite's door albeit this time much more forcefully.

"We should have put you in an apartment." Neji grumbled as he continued to knock forcefully.

"I don't want to stay in an apartment."

"Coming! Coming dammit!" A muffled voice called through the door.

"I hope it's not those damn movers again!"

"Oh my god yea! They were so horrible."

The door to the suite finally opened to reveal three bedraggled girls with varying degrees of annoyance on their faces. All three of which were still in their pajamas even though it was the middle of the day and none of them were too happy at the quartet's intrusion. Their annoyance was palpable, or at least it was until their eyes settled on her three male companions. The mouth of the one in the middle fell open in shock, her bright blue eyes darting between the three men as if she wasn't able to focus on only one.

"Oh...my...god...they're beautiful." She whispered reverently and the other two nodded their heads in solemn agreement. "Um...t-t-the boys floor is o-o-one down."

"Hi!" Hanabi interrupted, pushing around Neji with a forced smile on her face. "I'm Hanabi. Hanabi Hyuuga."

"Hyuuga?!" The girls screeched and the door slammed in their face.

Behind the door were screams of panic and the sound of feet pattering manically around the room.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!"

"No wonder!"

"Why didn't they put her last name on the damn door?!"

"Oh my god! Oh my god!"

Hanabi's eye twitched and she stood frozen behind the dorm door. She wanted to move into the doors so that she'd have a chance to make friends but if this was going to be everyone's reaction...Maybe this had been a bad idea? She wasn't really famous, or at least in her own mind she wasn't, but the Hyuuga were rich. With that wealth came power, one that many people would do anything to be a part of. People treated her differently when they found out who she was but she'd hoped to get a fresh start this school year. Eventually, the screams died down and after a few deep breaths, the dorm suite door opened again.

"Please come in." The blue-eyed girl from before gestured and opened the door wide enough for the quartet to enter.

Upon entering the suite room they found it to be...small. There was a shared living room with standard, low-grade dorm furniture. Connected to the living room was a small kitchen with out of date appliances and a sink already full of dishes. There were four doors around the room as well, each one with a neon pink name placard to denote the name of the resident.

"Are you sure about this Hanabi?" Neji asked, wrinkling his nose up at the plebian state of the shared living area. "I saw a listing for an apartment not far from here-"

"It's fine Neji." Hanabi huffed and pushed on towards the door that held her name written in bright pink letters.

The Uchihas and her cousin trailed behind her reluctantly, ignoring the wide eyes of her new roommates as they passed. Inside of the room, the standard dorm furniture had already been removed and replaced with brand new furniture. There was no way in hell Neji was going to let her sleep on a bed bug infested mattress or put her clothing in a dresser where someone else had stored their unmentionables. When he had attended university he stayed off campus all four years. Since Hinata was only a couple of years younger than him, when it was time for her to choose a school she chose the same one Neji already attended and they lived together.

Hyuugas, main or branch members, didn't stay in dorms. It just wasn't a thing that was done. However, she'd put her foot down about getting an apartment. She wanted to actually feel normal for once. Well as 'normal' as one can with a last name like hers.

"This is smaller than I imagined." Neji grumbled as he pulled two of her suitcases into the room.

"It's not the Hyuuga compound but it will do."

"Enough talk. The faster we get you settled in, the faster we can get back to Konoha." Sasuke yawned and Hanabi rolled her eyes.

"You just want to go back to sleep in the car again."

"Yea, yea, ya little brat."

With a bit more grumbling on Neji and Sasuke's parts, the three men soon got to work setting up her tiny dorm room into a livable space. There wasn't much for Hanabi to do to help so she did her best to stay out from underfoot. Outside of the room, she heard the girlish giggling of her new roommates as they watched the three men work. Hanabi rolled her eyes as she heard the twentieth whispered squeal of how cute one of the men looked when they did something. There was absolutely nothing special about the Uchihas or her cousin. Sure they were handsome but those looks took a backseat to how they _actually_ were.

They wouldn't think Neji was so cute when they found out how much time he actually spent in front of a mirror detangling his hair. Or if they knew how much hair he shed in a day. They wouldn't find Sasuke to be so sexy if they knew he was a jerk to anyone who had a pulse and wasn't her sister. Sure he saved her life but that didn't change his asshole mannerisms, just made them more tolerable. They wouldn't think Itachi was so handsome if they knew...if they knew... Hanabi bit her bottom lip as she watched the Uchiha in question hang up her bright yellow curtains over her window.

 _'They wouldn't like him...'_ Hanabi thought to herself. _'They wouldn't like him if they knew he was an idiot.'_

She knew more about Itachi than his own brother and even then there were still things Itachi kept hidden from her. Things that the elder Uchiha just wasn't ready to share. Would there ever be a day that she understood him completely?

 **….**

 **Saturday August 1 2018 4:10pm**

 **Konoha University- Co-Ed Honors Dorms (3rd floor)**

 **...**

"Alright." Neji sighed as he ran his hands through his hair. "I think that's it."

Hanabi looked around at her new room, surprised that the men had gotten done so quickly. Her bed was made and desk assembled. The dresser and wardrobe were stuffed with her clothing and a big, fuzzy yellow rug lay in the middle of the floor. Pictures of her family were sitting neatly in two frames on her desk and the curtains from the window were pulled back to allow the last of the afternoon light to pour into the room.

"Wow. You guys actually did a good job." Hanabi said, fairly impressed with her companions efficiency. "I guess that means you can go now-"

"Not until I set some ground rules." Neji said and pulled out her desk chair for her. "Sit."

Hanabi looked at him incredulously but her cousin only crossed his arms and waited for her to take a seat. She let out a short, indignant sigh as she plopped into the seat.

"Ground rules-" Neji started but Hanabi sucked her teeth.

"Neji I'm eighteen. I don't need ground rules."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don-"

"Hanabi." Itachi interjected, his voice even and smooth. The teen glared at him from the interruption but stopped disagreeing with Neji.

"As I was saying." Neji continued, flashing the elder Uchiha a grateful look. "Ground rules. Keep your grades up. If they slip at all I will personally buy a cot and sleep in this dorm until they are satisfactory."

Hanabi shivered at the visual of Neji sleeping on her dorm floor.

"No parties. No drugs. No alcohol. Absolutely no boys."

"If I even had a boyfriend it's not like I'd tell you." Hanabi grumbled under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

Neji narrowed his eyes at her but Hanabi put on her brightest smile. Her feigned innocence didn't fool her cousin.

"I'm serious Hanabi. No boys. At least not your first year. Boys are nothing but a distraction and if your grades-"

"I get it. I get it. Absolutely no boys." Hanabi sighed. "Any more rules?

"Call either Hinata or me at least once or twice a week so we know you're still breathing."

"Okay, I promise." Hanabi said, readily agreeing to this demand. At least it was one she would probably follow.

Neji opened his mouth, no doubt to lay down more rules, but Sasuke pushed him out of the way. The younger Uchiha handed her a small box and a plain white envelope. She looked at the items, confused as to why Sasuke would ever give her a gift.

"These are from Hinata. Inside of the box is a trinket she wanted you to have. Don't open the letter until we're gone." He informed as Hanabi took the proffered items from him. He then turned to Neji and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go before you sign her up for a nunnery."

Neji spluttered at the jibe but Hanabi couldn't help but laugh. If Neji had his way he'd lock her up in the Hyuuga compound with nothing but books to keep her company. With a halfhearted wave goodbye, Sasuke pulled a protesting Neji out of the room. Her new roommates swoon as the Uchiha and Hyuuga left her room, surreptitiously taking pictures with their phones. Hanabi watched them, highly amused at their antics but her merriment dried up as Itachi moved to follow them.

"Wait!" She said, much louder than she intended to.

Itachi stopped just at her door and turned to look at her curiously. She bit her bottom lip, worrying the soft flesh for the hundredth time that day. Itachi gave her a short nod of understanding before looking back into the living room where Sasuke and Neji were still standing. Both men were surprised by her sudden outburst. Itachi waved them away, ignoring their confused looks, and closed the door. He then walked back towards her desk and sat precariously on the very edge.

"Itachi..." She started, unsure of how to put her suddenly jumbled thoughts into words. "After this where are you going?"

The Uchiha shrugged his shoulders but didn't respond much more than that. Hanabi's fists clenched in her lap at the noncommital gesture and subsequent silence. He was pushing her away. He'd been distancing himself from everyone since they'd returned to Konoha and there was nothing she could do to stop him.

'No.' She decided. 'He's not going to get rid of me.'

"Ground rules Itachi." She said through clenched teeth. The Uchiha quirked a curious brow at her as though he were questioning her resolve.

"Rules?"

"Yes, rules. Well, just one rule really." She said, jumping out of her chair and stand up to him. "Call me every day. I will tell everyone you're sick if you don't keep me in the loop."

Itachi's eyes darkened as an understanding of her threat sank in. He stood up to his full height so that he towered over her and she had to look up to maintain eye contact. A shiver ran down her spine and she realized just what made the elder Uchiha intimidating to so many people. She gulped but maintained eye contact with him. Even though his gaze made her feel small. Even though she knew she was overstepping her bounds.

 _'I can't back down.'_

"Are you blackmailing me?" Itachi asked, his voice tight and low as he took a step closer to her.

"If that is what it takes."

 _'I won't back down.'_

He said nothing, merely looked her up and down as though his gaze alone would be enough to make her crack. More than a few good men had withered under his glare but she didn't have the option. She wasn't going to let him cut ties completely.

"You say I know a lot about what I don't want and that's true." Hanabi said firmly, willing her voice not to waver as she took a half step forward. She was close enough now that she could reach out to touch him.

"But there is one thing that I know I want."

"And what might that be?" He asked.

"You." She whispered. "I want you. I want you to take care of yourself and get better. I want you to live and go on more adventures with me. I promise not to complain. I want you to see your friends again and have fun with them. I want you to be happy like everyone else."

"Hanabi...it's not that simple-"

"Yes, it is that simple! You're the one bent on making things harder than they have to be!" She snapped and reached out to grab the edge of his shirt like she always did when she wanted his attention. "You said yourself that there were places overseas that had experimental treatments right?"

"Those are all speculative at this point."

"Well, anything is better than waiting to die!"

Her fingers gripped the edge of his shirt tighter until her knuckles turned white. Flashbacks of Nagato hooked up to a million wires, just watching the world pass him by, flooded her mind. He had been waiting to die and it appeared that Itachi was resigning himself to the same fate.

"You've given up on yourself and I hate it!" She whispered. "If you die I won't forgive you."

His fingers covered her own that clutched his shirt, gently removing them from the material.

"Just...just try to live okay. That's what I want."

"I can't make any promises." Itachi said, letting go of her hand entirely.

Even though he couldn't promise her anything, it was enough to know that he would try.

"Is that all you want?" He asked with a sad smirk on his lips.

Hanabi shook her head and wrapped her arms around his waist. A warm hand patted the top of her head gently as she squeezed him tightly.

"I want many many more things."

 ** _To be continued..._**

 **O is for Destruction**

 _There was no greater herald of terror than the Uzumaki and Uchiha boys suddenly becoming quiet._


	15. O is for Destruction

**CCNote: Happy belated Birthday to Katarina-Hime! I hope you had a great day! I wish I could have posted this on your birthday but I guess this will have to do! In other news, Christmas lessons went well except I discovered students don't know how to spell Santa. Ended up with a bunch of letters to Satan...so there's that...**

 **Originally I wrote this chapter to be a lot longer but it was boring to me. If I'm bored by my own writing that means its too damn long lol. So I cut it and I can honestly say it's much better this way.**

 ** _Important notes:_ This a four year time skip from the day of Sasuke and Hinata's wedding. The twins were one and four months that day making them five and a half now. I am the oldest of 9 children with 3 of my younger siblings at the impressionable ages of 8, 6, and an older 2. The children in this story aren't based on my own siblings ' personalities but their developmental stages are. My biggest pet peeve in Fanfiction is how people write children as little adults with a full understanding of causality, maturity, and a larger vocabulary than adults. It's almost like people haven't spent extensive time around young ones. Kids aren't stupid (although my SHS students make me question their intelligence every fucking day), they're actually pretty smart but they are still kids. There's a distinct balancing act that must take place. Part of the reason I wanted to write this sequel was to just put something out there where kids felt like kids.**

 **As always, ignore my glaring mistakes. To make it through edits I'm always drinking so it's inevitable that I miss a few things. I do try to go back and correct things drunk me didn't catch. Drunk me gives you fics, sober me is a critical bitch(if it was up to her you'd never get an update). Don't forget to leave a REVIEW! Reviews are what keep me motivated!**

 **O is for Destruction**

 **Friday, November 4, 2023, 10:53 pm**

 **Century Ballroom**

 **...**

"We can't have the Raikage's entourage sitting there." Ino sniffed as she removed the placard for the Raikage's head diplomat's team from the table. "They'll take it as an insult to be seated so far away."

"Where do you propose we move them? All of the other tables are taken-no." Mitsuki gasped, clutching her clipboard to her chest and eyes widening as large as dinner plates. "No, Ino don't!"

Ino rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. Mitsuki was alright company and a great help when it came to events like these but the woman played things a little too safe.

"The only available option is to switch the Raikage's diplomats out with Danzo's group." Ino said simply as she brought the placards over to the large circular table right in the middle of the front row.

Mitsuki's hurried footsteps trailed behind her worriedly but she paid the smaller woman no mind. Keeping good ties between their allies at such a contentious time was much more important than the feelings of Danzo's second wife.

"You know that Ayame is going to take you moving her away from her usual place as an insult right?" Mitsuki said fretfully as she watched Ino shrug her shoulders and swap out the name. "She can be really nasty-"

"Trust me. I know how nasty she can be." Ino sniffed. "And I don't give a damn. Is she the First Lady of Konoha?"

"Well no-"

"Then she can sit where I put her and be honored that she is attending this event."

Mitsuki opened her mouth to say more but the resolve in Ino's pale blue eyes held no room for further debate. Ino felt a bit bad for being so harsh with Mitsuki but honestly, she was fed up with Ayame's backstabbing over the last four years. The woman had been trying her best to turn the other wives against her but of course, all of her attempts were futile. No matter how much Ayame and the others might hate her, none of them were married to the man who was their country's Hokage.

Ino frowned as she placed the placard of the head delegate to the Raikage on the table. Naruto was finally Hokage...the one thing he'd been striving for all his life. But at what cost? An accomplishment that was achieved only through loss. A loss that none of them were prepared for.

"Ino...are you alright?" Mitsuki asked, placing a soft hand on her forearm. Ino smiled brightly and shook her head.

"Of course! We have a lot more work to do. Let's look at-"

"Did someone say work?" A jovial voice boomed, reverberating off of the walls of the cavernous ballroom.

The two women turned around to see Naruto bounding up to them with a wide smile on his face. Behind him trailed Shikamaru and no less than four bodyguards, all stone-faced and steadfast in their task of protecting the new Hokage. Ino knew immediately that he was drunk by the lopsided smile he wore and his inability to not bump into each table on his way to her. Ino closed the distance between them and steadied him on his feet. She sat him down firmly in a nearby chair before turning her ire onto Shikamaru.

"How much did you let him drink?" She hissed and Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "He's not going to be prepared for the ceremony tomorrow if he's hung over!"

"None of us are prepared for tomorrow but we'll get through it anyway." The brunette shrugged as he turned to leave the room. Now that Naruto was safely in the arms of his wife there wasn't much reason for him to hang around, especially when said wife was angry.

Ino sent a regretfully look to Mitsuki and the woman nodded her head in understanding. She bowed politely to Naruto before scurrying out of the room as well. The bodyguards spread out to three corners of the room with one remaining in front of the ballroom door, alert to any who might intrude upon their charges. Ino sighed as the men took their posts, mourning the small amount of privacy they'd still been able to possess six months ago. Shaking the thought from her mind, she turned to look at her husband whose face was planted into the white linen tablecloth.

"Naruto-" she started to say and the man mumbled something incoherent before turning his head to the side.

He blinked at her with bleary, red-rimmed eyes. Ino pulled up a chair next to his and laid her head on the table as well. She stared back into those tired blue eyes and watched as the happy mask he always wore melted away. She reached out a hand and ran her fingers through his now short blonde locks, ever so gently urging more of his resolve to slip away. His eyes closed as he enjoyed the pads of her fingers against his scalp.

"Where's Ito?" He asked, his voice slightly slurred.

"He's with the Uchihas." She said, a small smile struggling to make it's way to her lips. "He was so excited for a sleepover."

"I bet." Naruto chuckled and closed his eyes again.

His shoulders slumped and a shaky breath escaped his lips. Slowly her husband allowed himself to let go and silent tears fell from his eyes onto the white tablecloth. Ino said nothing. What was there that she could say now that she hadn't already said before? Instead, she continued to gently stroke his scalp and prayed that one day the tears would stop.

 **….**

 **Saturday, November 5, 2024, 9:01 am**

 **Uchiha Penthouse #2**

 **...**

Fugaku groaned slightly, the rays of the early morning sun already beaming through the blinds. Mikoto must have opened them when she'd woken up just to torture him. As they got older his wife had developed a bit of a sadistic streak but oddly enough he liked it. Perhaps he was just becoming soft in his old age. In any case, it wouldn't hurt to get a few more minutes of peace before he had to resume his daily 'Papa' duties, a name he'd earned because Fugaku was just too much of a mouthful for the twins when they were younger. That and the formal moniker of 'grandfather' had been taken by his counterpart on the twins' maternal side, Hiashi Hyuuga. His hopes of peace were dashed though when he heard the telltale creaking of the master bedroom door being pushed open.

"Papa wake up wake up!" A little voice yelled before jumping on the elder Uchiha's chest and knocking all of the air out of Fugaku's lungs. The Uchiha's eyes snapped open immediately as the little missile straddle his torso and kept bouncing.

"Wake up up up up!" The little boy cheered loudly.

"No fair Hiro! It was my turn today!" Another little boy cried by the edge of the bed, chubby hands struggling to climb up the side. "Ugh! Is he sleeping?"

Fugaku grunted and sat up so that the little boy bouncing on his chest rolled off onto the mattress. He then reached down to the side of the bed and deftly pulled Hajime up by the back of his shirt.

"Whoa!" Hajime squealed as he was lifted into the air and deposited unceremoniously onto the mattress next to his brother.

"I am very much awake Thing One." Fugaku growled and did his best to put on an intimidating glare but the twins remained unaffected. It was hard to have an impressive aura when the vestiges of sleep were still evident all over his face.

"Hey! Hey! Papa!" Hajime whimpered, crawling over his grandfather's legs so that he could pull insistently at his shirt. "It was my turn today. My turn."

Fugaku turned a curious eye towards Hiroto who was pouting at the foot of the bed with his arms crossed over his chest. Big black eyes looked at him sheepishly despite the tough air he was trying to portray.

"Thing Two."

"He was too slow Papa." Hiroto grumbled but whithered a bit when Fugaku's eyes narrowed. "Sorry."

Fugaku gave the boy a curt nod to accept his apology before placing a heavy hand on top of Hajime's dark, unruly head.

"Be faster tomorrow." He said firmly and Hajime nodded his head.

The elder Uchiha looked to his left and his right. Something felt as though it was missing.

"Where is your little fox friend?" Fugaku asked but was quickly answered by a muffled giggle from under the bed.

He looked over the side of the mattress to see a little pale foot sticking out from under the bed. Pressing a finger to lips to silence his grandsons, he swiftly grabbed the little ankle and hoisted a blonde five-year-old out from under the bed. Ito giggled with delighted at his new disorientating position, shrieking happily when he was finally plopped onto the bed.

"Were you trying to scare me?" Fugaku asked, quirking an eyebrow at the giggly boy.

The Uzumaki boy was known for trying to pull sneak attacks, none of which had worked of course. Ito furiously shook his blonde head but the toothy smile he wore said otherwise. Fugaku sighed and laid back on the bed, already tired for the day even though it'd barely begun.

"Papa no!" Hiroto whined as the three boys joined forces to dogpile the man's chest. "You can't go back to sleep!"

"We're having waffles!" Hajime said, hoping that the enticement would get his grandfather out of bed.

"We're not having waffles. We're getting pancakes!" Hiroto countered.

Fugaku covered his face with a pillow in an attempt to drown out their never-ending morning debate. When would they realize that waffles and pancakes were the same exact thing?

"No, I want waffles!"

"I want pancakes!"

"Waffles!"

"Pancakes!"

"I want candy!" Ito interjected, just as loud as the twins.

Fugaku felt the weight on his torso shift as the boys started wrestling each other, no doubt the twins had joined together as they usually did to defeat Ito's usual suggestion of...well... anything. If there was anything that got the twins to work together it was the prospect of defeating their mutual enemy, Ito Uzumaki. The sounds of high pitched squeals and roughhousing filled the room until Fugaku rolled over onto his side and interrupted their fight.

"Go get ready for breakfast boys." He groaned, putting one foot at a time onto the cold hardwood floor. "You all stink."

" _I_ don't stink Papa. That was Hiro. He-he farted!" Hajime said proudly before he was tackled onto the mattress by his brother.

"I didn't fart!"

"Yes, you did!"

"No, I didn't!"

"Did!"

"Didn't!"

 **….**

 **Saturday, November 5, 2023, 9:59 am**

 **Uchiha Property #2**

 **...**

"Don't forget to wash your faces." Fugaku commanded as he departed from the bathroom.

A confirmation was muffled by toothpaste filled mouths resounded through the bathroom, the three boys elbowing each other for who would get to spit out their toothpaste into the sink first. The Uchiha shook his head at their roughhousing and headed down the hall towards the kitchen. The twins and Ito were certainly a handful but over the years he really didn't mind. It became easier to care for them the more self-sufficient they were but they were a long way from being considered independent.

Somehow Fugaku had found himself slipping into the role of 'nanny' for his grandsons and more frequently these days for Ito. Shortly after getting married, his daughter in law had returned to work and the endless cycle of nannies had been ran through. The boys respected no one who wasn't family and many of the older women who could take care of them did not have the energy to keep up. If Sasuke and Hinata had only had one child it wouldn't be too stressful but two little boys that constantly fed off of each other's energy was a lot to handle.

Fugaku shivered as he turned the corner into the kitchen and recalled the twins' terrible twos. That had been a dark time. They had tempered out a bit as they'd gotten older though and he hoped that he would be able to whip them into a respectable shape when it came time for them to begin attending school. The Uchiha ran a tired hand through his graying hair, moving like a homing beacon to the steaming pot of freshly brewed salvation.

"Good morning wife. Did you sleep well, wife? My how beautiful you look this morning wife!" A feminine voice snapped just as he was pulling a mug down from the cabinet. He turned around sheepishly to see his cross wife with her hands on her hips, cutting him evil looks.

"Um...Good morning?" He deadpanned and she upturned her nose at him as she turned back to the stove.

"You care more about coffee than you do your own wife." She pouted, flipping a halfway done pancake onto its other side.

Fugaku rolled his eyes at his wife's antics before wrapping his arms around her waist. She leaned back into him, craning her head back so she could place a short peck on his chin. Peering over her shoulder he could see the stack of already completed waffles and a remaining bowl of batter being used to make pancakes. There was more than enough to feed himself and the boys but of course, Ito's bodyguards had to eat too. Even though the men stationed outside of the penthouse claimed they didn't want to inconvenience Mikoto they never turned down a meal.

"You shouldn't make both." He groused and Mikoto shrugged in his arms.

"They will only be little for so long Fugaku. At least it's just waffles versus pancakes. It doesn't hurt to indulge them in this."

The Uchiha male gave his wife a little squeeze before letting her go. While Mikoto relished in the twins' various stages she wasn't the one around them day in and day out. Her responsibilities lied in taking care of many of their more elderly members. The Uchiha numbers had been dwindling in recent years and older members were dying off at faster rates than could be replenished. It wasn't like there was much of a younger generation to replace them anyway, in fact, Hajime and Hiroto were the only children born to the Uchiha clan in the last decade. That, combined with the fact that Hinata was working full time again, meant that Mikoto was regulated to assisting with the later life care of the clan. Not that she minded of course. It just meant she had a greater appreciation for the twins' odd quirks and milestones. Fugaku resumed pouring coffee into his own mug and relished the first sip as he always did.

"What time are Sasuke and Hinata returning?" Fugaku asked from over the steaming rim of his mug.

Mikoto sighed and removed the now finished pancake from the pan. She scooped more batter into her ladle and set another pancake to begin cooking.

"Their flight was delayed this morning. I'm not so sure they'll make it to the inauguration dinner tonight." She said.

Fugaku took another pensive sip of his coffee. His son and daughter in law were busier than ever expanding the company. He couldn't fault them though. Their work was yielding higher profit margins than he'd ever expected. Especially considering his daughter in law was a Hyuuga and a rather meek one at that. He couldn't argue with the dividends though so they must be doing something right. Small feet shuffled around the corner into the adjoining dining room, breaking Fugaku from his thoughts.

"Mother and Father are going to be gone for longer aren't they." Hajime grumbled despondently as took a seat at the table and put his elbows on it.

"They don't like us anymore." Hiroto pouted and took a seat next to his brother. "I bet Father kidnapped Mother so he could keep her all to himself. He's stingy."

"Thing One." Fugaku reprimanded, pointed looking at the ill-placed limbs and pulling out a chair for himself.

"Sorry, Papa." Hajime said sheepishly as he took his elbows off the table.

Even though he complied with his grandfather's directive, he still looked put out that his parents weren't back home yet. Likewise, Hiroto also wore a wrinkled brow as he no doubts contemplated whether his parents would return.

"Thing Two. It's only a short business trip, they'll be back."

The twins didn't look too convinced at his assessment but their long faces didn't last because Ito came sprinting down the hall as if he were being chased by a ghost. The blonde boy scrambled up to his usual seat with an eager grin on his face.

"I'm ready for the candy!"

 **…..**

 **Saturday, November 5, 2023, 3:47 pm**

 **Century Ballroom**

 **...**

"Mrs. Uzumaki, have you seen the extra table linens?"

"Mrs. Uzumaki the caters have arrived."

"Mrs. Uzumaki the vice admiral has called and says his flight has been delayed on the tarmac."

"Mrs. Uzumaki where should we put these?"

It was all Ino could do to not snap at the poor maid holding an armful of red roses out to her with expectant brown eyes. It wasn't the maid's fault she was being pulled in every direction humanly possible. Taking a deep breath Ino instructed the younger woman to place a single rose in the champagne flutes of the most prominent members that would be attending tonight. As soon as she finished instructing the maid what to do, she'd barely turned around before she was needed elsewhere.

Throughout all of the demands for her attention, Ino still managed to keep a well-crafted smile on her face. A smile she didn't even realize she'd ever wear but one she'd honed to perfection over the last few months. Even when everything inside of her wished to curl into a ball, her outer appearance was nothing but calm, cool, and collected. She signed for packages and dictated just how the silverware needed to be placed in each place setting as though she'd been doing it her whole life...as though it was as easy as breathing...

'The best women rise to the occasion.'

 _...Ino took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on the steady tempo of the music that was playing. Of course, it was classical music and most certainly not her taste but she concentrated none the less._

 _'Why do rich people listen to stuff like this?' She thought as she made a careful turn around the table. 'It's so stuffy and boring-'_

 _The books she was trying to balance on her head suddenly came tumbling down to the floor with a crash. It was all that the blonde could do to save her toes from being smashed by descending tomes. Her mother in law laughed as she slumped into a plush leather chair nearby._

 _"I'm hopeless, I know_. _" Ino complained as she observed the books_ lying _around her. Kushina only laughed harder._

 _"Not hopeless but certainly not graceful!" She said between her fits of laughter. Ino's cheeks turned red with embarrassment._

 _"I'm not cut out for this." Ino mumble under her breath._

 _She felt utterly defeated that she couldn't complete a simple task as standing up straight. Kushina cocked her head to the side and regarded Ino with a curious eye._

 _"Most women aren't." She said simply as she rose up from her chair. She started picking up the books that had fallen and gather the books that had fallen to the floor. "But the best women rise to the occasion."_

Kushina's words reverberated in the back of her mind as a constant mantra that added steel to her backbone. At the same, her strong voice provided no comfort to her as she continued to listen to the needs of her staff. Just the sound of the woman's name in her mind made her want to run to the nearest coat closet to cry. She couldn't cry though. Not now. Not when she needed to a sweep of the kitchens to supervise the caterers or adjust the wine glasses on the tables. No, she was needed and as long as that remained true she wouldn't cry.

With the thought of the caterers in mind and a lull in her staff's questions, Ino turned to make her way towards the kitchens. As she made her way to the other side of the ballroom she noticed an odd ruffling of one of the tables. Crouching, she picked up the edge of the tablecloth and frowned at the black scuff marks. She had inspected every single linen last night before they'd been placed on the tables. How was it possible that she'd missed this one? Glancing at her watch she sighed. There wasn't any time to change this one out. The only thing she could hope to do would be to curl the edge under and pray no one took notice of the blemish.

"It can't be helped." She sighed and started to tuck the edge in when she heard a familiar giggle.

Startled, she lifted the tablecloth up over her head and was surprised to find her son sitting under the table. The little boy was hugging his knees to his chest, an almost aghast look on his young face at being discovered. Frantically he waved for her to get away from him under the table.

"Mama you're going to make me them see me!" He whined.

A feeling of paranoia crept into her chest and Ino popped her head out from under the table. It was irrational, she knew that they were safe but she couldn't help it. Looking to her left and right she didn't see anyone chasing after Ito. None of the bodyguards placed sporadically around the bustling ballroom looked perturbed either.

"Ito, I don't see-"

"Mama!" He hissed and pushed on her upper arm. "Don't make me lose-"

"Ha! I got you!" A dark-haired boy cheered as the other side of the tablecloth popped up.

"No, you didn't Haji I found him!" An identical boy whined, crawling under the table as well.

"No, I got here first!"

"But I saw Auntie Ino. It was my idea to come over!"

"Mama you made me lose!"

Begrudgingly Ito allowed himself to be dragged out from under the table by his wrists, courtesy of the Uchiha twins.

"Sorry Ito." She said, trying to hold back her own laughter as Ito had to empty his pockets of all of his loose gummy fruit snacks. "Better luck next time."

As the twins fought over who would get to eat the sour ones, the older woman patted each boy on the head before heading towards the kitchens. Behind her, she could hear Ito's laughter and her heart felt a little lighter knowing that at the very least her son was having a good time. How that was possible when he'd just had to divest himself of his snacks was beyond her. However, it was enough to make her steps lighter and the cloud of fatigue that was threatening to encroach upon her was pushed back. If only for a moment...

 **….**

 **Saturday, November 5, 2023, 7:15 pm**

 **Century Ballroom**

 **...**

The massive ballroom was abuzz with activity. No longer bright and bustling with the hurried footsteps of staff, it was now dimly lit and occupied by the upper crust of every ally nation to Konoha. Underneath the table, Ito watched shiny shoes tap their toes as various speakers came up to the podium and droned on and on about things he certainly didn't care about. While some old man talked about 'strengthening bonds' all Ito cared about was filling his grumbling tummy.

The youngest Uzumaki couldn't understand why all of the big people listened to such boring things anyway when there was plenty of good food in front of them to eat. Luckily for them, he knew how to make sure that none of that good food went to waste. He didn't like the stuffy suit his Mama was forcing him to wear but it had it's uses. There was more room to shove food into the pockets of his suit jacket and served to aide in his food snatching. Quickly he relieved the ballroom patrons plates of their finger foods. Namely cocktail shrimp, popcorn shrimp, and weird little mushrooms that had mushy stuff inside of them.

No one noticed him underfoot except for the big guys dressed in all black that always followed him around. They weren't stopping him, only following him with their eyes and edging precariously placed glasses out of his reach. Of course, it was because he bribed them with bits of shrimp whenever he passed them though. Shrimp was a good gift so they wouldn't bother him if he kept supplying it. Ito was just reaching for a plate loaded with cocktail shrimp when all of the people in the ballroom suddenly stood up and started clapping loudly. The sudden sound made the boy jump in surprise but he quickly regained his bearings. He snatched the entire plate of shrimp while the owner was distracted and started scurrying off to his home base.

"Thank you all for joining us tonight!" The boisterous voice of his Daddy called out above the raucous applause. "Please take your seats."

Ito paused in his journey, mesmerized as his Daddy's figure came into view once all of the big clapping people sat down. There he was on stage, standing behind a large wooden block and a bright light shining down on him. On his head was a big white hat with a giant red letter he couldn't read but looked pretty important. Around his shoulders was a really cool white cap, the likes of which Ito couldn't help but marvel. Where did his dad get a thing like that? Would he buy him one? When you got big did everyone get to wear a cape?

"Thank you all for coming during such a contentious time. I understand the sacrifice you are all making to take time out to be here. While it is belated, today marks my official procurement of the office of Hokage."

The crowd cheered and clapped, drowning out whatever his Daddy said next. The only thing that stuck in Ito's mind was the word 'Hokage'. What was a Hokage? What was so special about it that it made everyone so excited? Ito's blue eyes widened as his father continued on with his speech, enthralling the crowd who managed to hang onto his every word. The little boy couldn't understand half of what his Daddy was saying but he looked so cool up there on the stage. He looked so calm and collected, very much unlike the clumsy, silly Daddy he knew. When his Daddy smiled the people cheered, making Ito's heart thump wildly in his chest.

"Hey! Ito!" A little voice huffed, pulling at the sleeve of his suit jacket.

Ito whirled around in surprise to see the Uchiha twins staring at him curiously from underneath the table. Suddenly he remembered his original mission to get to home base and scurried under the table. As soon as Ito took a seat on the floor he couldn't help but gush over the sights in the ballroom. His father's booming voice continued throughout the room, filling the little Uzumaki with pride.

"Do you hear him? He sounds so cool, right? Right!" He said, clutching the cold plate of shrimp in his hands.

"He's a Howhatie-what now." Hiroto started.

"Hokage." Hajime corrected and his brother rolled his eyes.

"Yea that. I guess that's cool."

"It's super cool!" Ito insisted but the boys were already distracted by the plate of cocktail shrimp he'd procured.

"Why did you bring back shrimp?" Hajime grumbled, wrinkling his nose with distaste.

"It's yummy!" Ito defended, grabbing one and shoving it into his mouth. The Uchiha twins pretended to barf. "You just have to try it!"

"No." The twins deadpanned simultaneously but Ito continued to shove the plate their way.

"My Mama says not to waste food. You should eat it!"

"No, it's gross!"

"So gross! So gross!"

The twins protests led to Ito crawling around under the table after them to get them to try the shrimp. Of course, that meant stepping on the toes of the adults that were sitting around their home base and alerting them to their presence. It only took one accidental kick to a woman's shin for her to cry out and send a knee up to the table. The dishes and glasses rattled with the impact and the shriek drew everyone's attention to their table. The tablecloth was upturned in the next instant and the three boys were made to crawl out. Disgruntled mummers resounded throughout the room, all of which possessed varying degrees of disdain.

"Isn't that the Uzumaki boy?"

"What is he doing with the Uchiha?"

"How untrained. My children would never!"

Ito was used to the whispers. Many people here weren't very nice to him or his Mama but it wasn't their mean gossip that bothered him. It was the fact that his Daddy had stopped speaking. His loud, boisterous voice no longer filled the room and allowed the whispers to feel as if they were coming to a crescendo.

"You should apologize boy!" A gruff male voice sneered. Ito looked up to see an old man whose face was half wrapped in bandages staring back down at him. To his right a woman Ito was, unfortunately, familiar with had her arms crossed over her chest. "That was my wife one of you little rascals kicked."

Ito frowned as he looked at the angry woman who the man claimed to be his wife. Ito didn't care whose wife she was, she was Ayame the mean lady to him. The mean lady who always said bad stuff about his Mama. The mean lady who never gave him as many snacks as the other kids. The mean lady who always looked at him funny. The mean lady he most definitely didn't like.

"Well, boy?" The old man prodded. "Aren't you going to apologize?"

"It's not in his vocabulary dear. His mother hasn't raised him properly." Ayame said, placing a gentle hand on the elderly man's forearm.

"Is that old lady talking about Auntie Ino?" Hajime asked and Hiroto shrugged.

"I don't know. I like Auntie."

"Boys, it isn't polite to call people old." Another lady at the table chided and the twins bristled.

"But she is old and so are you."

"Yea you're old."

"Very old."

"Super old."

"Older than- than a dinosaur!"

"Hajime. Hiroto" A low, stern voice called out and the twins snapped to attention.

Ito turned in the direction of the voice to see his Uncle Saskue and Aunt Hinata quickly coming upon them. He couldn't tell what his Uncle was feeling but his Aunt looked really worried. They quickly collected the mouthy Uchiha twins with his Aunt sending a half-hearted apology to the patrons of the table. The Uchiha weren't known for apologizing but his Aunt at least made an attempt.

As Ito watched the twins go he felt the stares of the big people sitting at the table. None of them felt friendly and he had no idea what to do with himself. He knew that he should apologize. His Mama always said to apologize when peoples feelings are hurt but he just couldn't do it. Ayame's feelings weren't hurt, just her leg! Plus she was a mean lady anyway. He didn't want to apologize to a mean lady!

"Ito." His father's voice called out to him, much closer than he'd expected it to be.

The little Uzumaki turned around once more to see his Daddy smiling at him from underneath his big, fancy white hat. Soon he felt his feet leave the floor as his father picked him up and carried him away from the mean lady and the old man. The whispers stopped, even time itself seemed to cease. All Ito could focus on was his Daddy's slow, assured steps up the stage to face the now silent crowd.

"As many of you know, this," his Daddy started as he took his place behind the microphone again. "Is my son. Ito Uzumaki."

Grumbles waved through the crowd and the little boy caught sight of some grimaces. Did people not like him? Was there something wrong with him? The hateful eyes were suddenly blocked out when his father's big white hat was suddenly placed on his head.

"I may be your Hokage today but he is your Hokage tomorrow. He has a lot to learn but there is no one better to take up the burden."

Hokage? Was he going to be a Hokage? Ito's heart started pounding excitedly in his chest. If he was the Hokage people would like him just like they cheered on his Daddy. They wouldn't look at him so weird or be mean to him. If he was the Hokage he would be super cool just like his Daddy. As the applause died down and Ito felt himself being carried off stage with his father's hat still on his head, he made a promise to himself. One day, he would become Hokage. A Hokage that was even cooler than his Daddy. The best Hokage ever!

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **P is for Downfalls**

 _He wasn't entirely made of stone the way many people claimed, the way many of the women he encountered had assessed._


	16. P is for Downfall

**CCNote: And here is the chapter where things begin to take a turn in a definitive direction. You can skip it and head on to the next chapter or you can read ahead. Either way, please enjoy!**

 **Christmas lessons are complete. LL room is finally cleaned of a year's worth of crude. Closing Ceremony is all done and students are ready for a well-deserved break. Doing a double post because this story will be on a brief hiatus for the Christmas break. I'll be in America for two weeks and then when school reopens idk when I'll start writing again. I might start right away or it could take me a few weeks to get into the groove. I only mention a hiatus because I know many people don't have me on alerts, they just check back often since I update waaaaaaaay too much. I just don't want anyone to think I've abandoned the story due to a lack of updates. Anyway! To anyone reading this, thanks so much for your support! Don't forget to leave a review!**

 **P is for Downfall**

 **Saturday May 25 2021 2:21pm**

 **Konoha University**

 **….**

"Hanabi!" One of her roommates called through her room door.

"Hang on I'm coming! I'm coming!" Hanabi shouted back as she scurried around her tiny dorm room while simultaneous zipping up a black skirt.

Somehow even in such a small space she still managed to lose her things as soon as she put them down. Right now she was searching frantically for a matching black knee sock but was coming up empty. Well, not completely empty. She found the graphing calculator she'd spent all of last semester trying to locate and her second favorite sweater that had mysteriously disappeared. She found tons of half whittled down erasers that she'd chucked carelessly and balls of paper she'd thrown in her frustration. Despite all of the dust bunnies she was unearthing she still couldn't find her other knee sock.

"Hanabi!" Her roommate called again.

"Just hold on!"

Hanabi huffed and paced around her room. It shouldn't be this hard to find a black sock! Frustrated, she yanked open the top drawer of her dresser and fished around again. The door to her dorm creaked open behind her, causing frustration to mount within the young woman.

"I told you to hold on." She said through gritted teeth.

Her roommates had no sense of privacy! She never barged into their rooms! Mostly because she'd get more of an eyeful than she bargained for but still!

"Now you know that I am not a man that likes to be kept waiting." A smooth voice chided from the doorway and Hanabi whirled around.

"Chi!" She gasped, disbelieving her own ears and eyes that the Uchiha was actually there in the flesh.

He leaned casually against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest and a lopsided smirk on his face. Hanabi pinched herself to ensure that she wasn't actually dreaming. The pain reminded her that she was, in fact, awake but it still didn't feel real. Itachi was up and walking and talking and breathing.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." He said, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "Or were you expecting someone else? A boyfriend perhaps? You know how Neji feels about those."

Hanabi smiled at Itachi's jab and launched herself at him, flinging her arms around his waist, holding him tight as though he might disappear in another instant. She could hear his steady heartbeat through his shirt. It sounded so strong...

 _Hanabi sighed as she pressed send on her final term paper of her junior year. She made it fifteen minutes before the deadline closed and while Neji would kill her for procrastinating, Hanabi was pretty proud of herself. She always did her best work when under pressure. She closed her laptop and set it down on the small bedside table. Now that all of her work for the semester was done she should be able to relax but the Hyuuga had more pressing things to worry about._

 _While her roommates were likely celebrating the end of the term by partying until the sun came up, Hanabi was making her usual checks on all of the monitors and tubes attached to Itachi. While they were all eager to pack up and head home for Christmas, she was anxiously waiting for the moment when the Uchiha would finally wake up. The doctors said that was normal for him to be asleep, especially after such an extensive surgery._ _His body was repairing itself or however the doctor had put it. It was only a matter of time before he woke up again. That knowledge still didn't keep Hanabi from worriedly checking his heart monitor every so often or the respirator that was helping him breathe._

 _The Hyuuga sighed as she stepped over a few wires towards Itachi's hospital bed. She adjusted the white hospital blanket up to the middle of his chest and smoothed down the material to rid it of any wrinkles. The idiot really needed to take better care of himself._

 _"I 've just submitted my final world history paper." She said softly as she went about fluffing his pillows. " Fifteen pages on the Suna rebellion. It's a masterpiece if I do say so myself. If I don't get an A on it I'll be highly upset."_

 _Hanabi wasn't quite sure if he could hear her or not but talking to him was a way for her to cope. It was a way to not feel so...alone. She pushed some of his hair off of his face and frowned at the stubbornly closed eyes._

 _"You need to wake up so you can read it. I'll get really mad if you don't wake up."_

 _His eyes still remained closed despite her threat but that was to be expected. Itachi always did things on his own time, in his own way. Hanabi looked up from Itachi just as the door to the hospital room slid open. She removed her hand from Itachi's forehead and stepped away from him as though she'd been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. The middle-aged nurse shook her head and smiled._

 _"Don't stop on my account dear." She said with a weird twinkle in her eye._

 _"I wasn't doing anything."_

 _"Of course you weren't."_

 _Hanabi blushed as she shuffled back over to her previous seat in the chair by the window. She watched the nurse carefully as she changed out the I.V. drips and checked Itachi's vitals. The Hyuuga knew exactly what the nurse was insinuating but she tried not to think too hard about it. All of the nurses and doctors on the floor gushed over her whenever they saw her. They saw her as the diligent girlfriend who had dropped everything to fly out and help their mystery patient in his time of need._

 _When the mysteriously handsome man had been brought in with a partially collapsed lung, no one knew what to make of him. He had no identification on him since it appeared he'd been out for a jog. The only thing he had was a cell phone, earphones, and a set of keys. As an emergency response team immediately started prepping the man for surgery, it was left up to the nurses to figure out who to get in contact with to inform them of the man's perilous condition. His phone was locked though and no matter how many random combinations they tried, they couldn't unlock the phone. Fortunately, Hanabi had called Itachi later on that day after her classes had ended and was surprised to hear unfamiliar female voices on the other end of the phone._

 _Hanabi pulled her knees up to her chest as she recalled the news on Itachi's condition. Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax. Surgery. Breathing tubes. All of the information surged over her in a rush and she hadn't even realized she was running to her dorm until she nearly smacked into the building's front door. Hanabi hadn't questioned why the person on the other end of the phone was giving her so much personal information about Itachi at the time. All she cared about was finding out which hospital he'd been taken too and subsequently booking a flight to get there when she discovered he was all the way in Water country. It was an eight-hour flight and cost enough money to likely raise alarm bells for Neji who monitored her accounts but she could care less about his impending questions._

 _It wasn't until she'd arrived at the hospital that she discovered why the nurse on the phone had been so loose-lipped._ _Her number outpaced all of the others in his call log. Her number consistently popped up on the outgoing and incoming calls with only the occasional call from Sasuke's phone or one of his friends. Often times those calls went unanswered but he always picked up for her. Of course, the nurses didn't know the details of his call history. No, all they saw was the contact name he had her listed under. 'Firecracker.' The nickname he'd given her had led the nurses to believe that she was his girlfriend. That, coupled with the fact that no one else had called his phone before it eventually died made her the only person who would be able to vouch for Itachi medically._

 _It was a responsibility she certainly didn't want but it wasn't like she could inform their family. Itachi would hate her if she did that. As long as he remained stable she wouldn't have to call them. Everything would be okay as long as he woke up. Until then she would continue being Itachi's defacto girlfriend in the eyes of the hospital staff no matter how embarrassing it was._

 _"Alrighty then." The nurse said as she finished up her tasks. "He looks to be doing well."_

 _Hanabi frowned as she rested her chin on top of her knees. If 'doing well' meant being a vegetable then Itachi was doing great. The nurse continued to smile even though she picked up on Hanabi's darkening mood._

 _"Don't worry dear. He'll wake up and when he does we'll make sure he knows what a sweet girlfriend he has. He's a lucky man."_

 _The young woman blushed and averted her eyes away from the nurse who found amusement in her reaction._

 _'Dammit, Itachi.' She thought to herself as the nurse left the hospital room. 'You owe me for this!'_

… _._ Hanabi squeezed Itachi just a little tighter as memories of his stay in the hospital lingered in the back of her mind. She never wanted to see him like that again.

"Are you going to keep hugging me or are you ready to go?" Itachi chuckled and she immediately let go of him.

"You're here early. I thought I had another hour at least." She said, suddenly aware of the fact that she was still missing a sock.

"Traffic wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. However, I _thought_ you would be packed and ready to go already."

Hanabi blushed and looked around at her messy dorm room. Shamefully she tugged at the edge of her yellow t-shirt and kicked an incriminating ball of crumpled paper back under her bed. She was nowhere near ready to leave for their summer vacation. If she hadn't been so preoccupied looking for her sock she would have at least been able to throw a few things into her suitcase. Itachi shook his head at the mess and strode over to her bed.

"Hey!" She protested as he removed his shoes and started to make himself comfortable. "Aren't you going to help me pack at least?"

"I'm supposed to be taking it easy remember?" He said and Hanabi huffed, defiantly placing her hands on her hips.

"The doctors said to take it easy. Not be a bum."

"Bum...that's a new one. I'll add it to the growing list of insults you call me. I think that one ranks somewhere between jerk and idiot. Hurry up now or we'll miss our flight."

 **… _.._**

 **Saturday May 25, 2021 11:45pm**

 **Hakone Resort and Hotspring**

 **…...**

"Wow, it's beautiful!" Hanabi gasped as the chauffeur pulled up to the lodge.

The Hakone Resort was known throughout Stone country as being _the_ most optimal place for winter sports year round. Despite falling through the ice and nearly dying at the Hyuuga Winter Estate, she still wanted to try her hand at ice skating. Not only that she was eager to try snowboarding and skiing and going up on the sky lift and-

"If your mouth continues to hang open like that you're going to catch flies." Itachi chided and Hanabi playfully shoved his shoulder for the remark. He smirked and began unbuckling his seatbelt when the car came to a complete halt.

Hanabi unbuckled herself as well and was out of the car before Itachi could even get his door open. A cold burst of wind slammed into her face, making Hanabi infinitely happier. She took a deep breath and looked out at the snow-covered mountains. Everything, literally everything, was covered in a thick blanket of powdery white snow. The lodge itself was even more impressive than the website had made it seem. The large log-like structure was several stories tall and the lights of the building shone brightly through the dark night sky. People, young and old, milled around the grounds despite the late hour and filled the air with their chatter.

"Hurry up Chi!" Hanabi urged as he paid the driver his fee.

Itachi shook his head at her persistence and waved the driver off. He then pulled their rolling suitcases up the walkway and allowed her to lead him into the lodge. Once inside the smell of cinnamon assaulted her nose and she could barely contain herself as Itachi checked them in with the front desk. Unfortunately, the woman assisting them was more than happy to take her good sweet time. She twirled her long red hair around her slender finger and batted her eyelashes in what Hanabi could only assume was enticing. Hanabi tapped her foot impatiently, regarding the woman with narrowed eyes. The woman was 'pretty' by most people's standards. Her skin was blemish free save for the freckles on her face. Her almond-shaped eyes were a soft shade of brown and her curly red hair was certainly eye-catching. The conservative pantsuit she wore hinted at a buxom figure underneath, one that most men would enjoy.

"The slopes are open from eight a.m. to four p.m. and the hot springs are twenty-four hours. If you need anything please be sure to use the phone in the room to call the front desk. We hope you enjoy your stay." The woman said as she handed Itachi the keycards for the room. Hanabi didn't miss the way her hand lingered on his for a moment too long.

The Hyuuga took the cards away from Itachi and sent the woman a forced smile. She should be used to this by now. Most places they went to women automatically set their sights on the Uchiha. Whether they knew of his family's background or not, Itachi always attracted the female gaze.

"Eager to get to the room are we?" Itachi teased as they walked away from the front desk and through the crowded lobby.

"I just don't want to wait around for you to finish making kissy faces at the resort staff." She countered.

Itachi shook his head at her accusation and followed her to the elevators. Finding the suite to their hotel room wasn't difficult and as soon as they did Hanabi's mood instantly lifted. There was a massive television hanging over an empty fireplace inside of the suite's shared living room. There were three doors, one of which led to the bathroom and the other two went to the bedrooms. Hanabi dragged her suitcase to the door on the right and immediately threw herself face first onto the big fluffy white bed. Her body sank into the soft material, muffling her shrieks of excitement.

No annoying roommates playing loud music at all hours of the night. No awkward bump-ins with their one night stands when they did their walk of shame in the morning. No homework or tests or any responsibilities. She always felt elated when it came time for her and Itachi's trips and this one was no exception. If anything she was even more excited since she got to pick where they were going this time. Of course, they were still going to spend a week in the Tokai mountains with the rest of Itachi's friends like they did every year to honor Nagato but she got to pick all of the other locations.

"I can only assume that trying to suffocate yourself in a mattress means that you're satisfied." Itachi chuckled, the bed shifting when he sat on it.

Hanabi rolled over onto her back, bumping to Itachi's side in the process, and smiled up at him.

"It's perfect." She beamed. "I can't wait to try snowboarding tomorrow or maybe I should go skiing first? Or maybe ice skating. Ice skating would be fun-"

"Just don't break anything this time. I'd prefer to stay away from hospitals for a while."

"I wish you could come with me." She pouted as Itachi laid back on the bed next to her.

"I'm sure I'll find some way to occupy my time while you get into trouble."

Hanabi smiled and turned to her side, wiggling closer to the Uchiha. Even if he couldn't handle high energy activities anymore she was more than grateful that he brought her here.

"Thanks, Chi." She whispered and pressed a short kiss to his cheek.

 **… _.._**

 **Sunday, May 26, 2021, 10:35 am**

 **Hakone Resort and Hotspring**

 **…..**

There weren't many things in this world that made him uncomfortable. He'd seen more dead bodies by the time he was ten years old than most men had seen in their entire lifetimes. Death was a constant companion in a children's hospital. No matter how many brightly painted walls there were or friendly nurses, death was always lurking around the corner. He could be playing with a child that looked 'fine' one day and the next they were being wheeled out with a blanket pulled up over their face.

Death followed the Uchiha constantly for as long as he could remember. It had always been a constant companion and at times his only. He didn't mind the loneliness. He was used to it for the most part. He knew that death would claim him one day just like it had those children in the hospital. He'd expected to be one of the children removed when he was younger, however, he wasn't. He'd been alive much longer than he anticipated or planned. He had no reason to stick around yet every time he was close to death's door there was something that kept him tied to the world of the living.

The first tie was the birth of his little brother. For the longest, he'd only been able to look at the pictures of Sasuke that his mother brought to the hospital. He had to attachment to this little being that was supposed to be his family but Itachi wanted to get to know him. He wanted to know the red-faced baby swaddled in blankets and had eyes just like his own. In a way, the drive to meet the brother he didn't know might have kept him buoyed enough to get stronger and get out of the hospital.

The second tie was much more complicated. Hanabi Hyuuga was determined to keep him out of Death's embrace even if that meant fighting the reaper herself. Out of sheer naive will, she was going to keep his heart beating. He wanted to push her away. He wanted to reject her efforts and at times he did. It was odd to have someone care so much about his wellbeing when he couldn't muster the effort at times...

… _."I can't pronounce half of this stuff. None of it makes sense." Hanabi grumbled indignantly next to him. In her hands was a hefty folder of paperwork that required his signature._

 _Itachi wanted to laugh at her frustration but his chest hurt too much to do so. She seemed to know that he was amused by her and shot him a halfhearted dirty look._

 _"You need to take better care of yourself." She reprimanded, placing the folder next to him and crossing her arms over her chest. "You're not invincible and if you insist on always being alone next time you won't be so lucky."_

 _Hanabi then sank into the chair she'd pulled up a chair next to his bed. Leaning forward she rested her head in her arms on the bed and looked at him with worried eyes._

 _"What if next time no one finds you?" She asked. "You should at least get a real girlfriend to take care of you when I can't."_

 _At that Itachi chuckled even though his sore chest protested. When he'd awoken he'd been informed of what a diligent, cute, perfect, spunky girlfriend he had by all of the nurses that visited the room. Each time they did Hanabi looked as though her head might explode. The nurses were overzealous with their praise but he did nothing to correct them. It was amusing seeing the Hyuuga turn as red as her older sister._

 _Pale eyes glared at him from the bed but her anger had no edge to it. He smirked despite how much his face hurt and slowly willed his hand to move. Slowly his hand came down on the side of her head and reflexively she placed her hand on top of his. Her fingers curled around the side of his palm and some of her warmth transferred to him._

 _"Thank you." He said, his voice scratchy and foreign to his own ears._

 _He watched her pale eyes grow wide for a moment before she slipped away from him. Sitting upright she crossed her arms and turned away so that he couldn't see her face._

 _"Just take care of yourself."._

...Itachi looked up from his book at the Hyuuga who was currently enraptured in some cheesy movie on the television. A half-empty bowl of popcorn was on the floor next to her and she'd pulled one of the hotel's many quilts up over her head. Even though her back was to him, he knew that she was mouthing the lines of the movie along with the actors. He couldn't count how many times he'd witnessed this trance she got in when watched her favorite movies. Objectively speaking her tastes in cinema was terrible.

 _"Do you love me?"_ The blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress cried.

 _"There is no one else in this world I love more than you."_ The devilishly handsome lead actor professed to the woman in his arms.

Itachi rolled his eyes at the poorly delivered line. He turned his attention back to his book and tried to block out the grotesque sound of the main characters kissing. One of these days he was going to have to upgrade Hanabi's taste in movies. As though she heard his thoughts, Hanabi turned away from the television to look at him.

"Hey Chi." She asked, big pale eyes wide with curiosity. "Have you ever loved anyone?"

"Hm?" He mumbled, not fully registering her question.

"Have you ever loved anyone?" She reiterated.

Itachi rolled his eyes at the question but didn't answer. Not because he didn't want to but because he couldn't. He'd never been in love the way Hanabi was referring to because he had never allowed anyone to get close enough to him to feel that way. Sure he'd had crushes throughout his life, he'd even been attracted to Hinata for a short while, but none of those feelings were sustainable. Romantic relationships weren't really possible for him when he brought in so much baggage. No...love was something that was not in his cards. He could feel Hanabi continue to stare at him so he sighed and answered her question.

"Familial love, yes."

"Do you love me?"

The Uchiha peered over the top of his book at the young woman. She was looking at him with those big earnest eyes but they quickly narrowed the longer he remained silent. His ambivalence to her inquiry clearly dissatisfied her.

"Chi!" She grumbled as she shuffled over to the couch to take a seat next to him, the hotel quilt still tightly wrapped around her body. "Answer the question."

"Why do you insist on asking a question you already know the answer to?" He countered but the irritated look on her face still persisted. "You're my sister in law. I believe that means I'm legally obligated to love you or at least try to."

"Sister in law..." Hanabi mumbled to herself and Itachi returned to his book.

He'd given up long ago trying to figure out was going on in the Hyuuga's head. Unfortunately, the girl wasn't willing to let him return to his book, instead snatching it out of his hands. She quickly flipped through the book so that the page he was on was now lost and clicked her tongue.

"This is so boring." She said as Itachi tried to get his book back.

The hotel quilt fell away as she focused most of her energy on keeping the book away from him. His much too big t-shirt hung loosely around her petite frame and pulled at the edge to bring her close enough to grab his book back. Hanabi was much too comfortable if she thought snatching his books was okay. Perhaps Sasuke was right in labeling the girl a brat.

Their tussle was brief but somehow ended with the Hyuuga underneath him breathing heavily with a mischevious smile on her face. His left hand pinned down her hip, the heat radiating off of her body causing him to unconsciously stiffen. Her cheeks had turned a curious shade of pink from the short burst of activity. The blush traveled down her neck and probably further since her now exposed shoulder was pink as well. The sight of it made him...uncomfortable.

He tore his eyes away from her shoulder and steadfastly tried to focus on her face. Pale eyes blinked innocently up at him, utterly oblivious to how uncomfortable she was making him. Plump lips parted to speak and he had to fight the urge to close them with his own. Close them with his own? The thought made him freeze on top of her. He shouldn't be having these kinds of thoughts towards the Hyuuga. What the hell was wrong with him? A small hand pressed against his chest, nearly making him jump out of his skin. He moved away from her more quickly than he should have and didn't miss the mixture of hurt and confusion that flitted across Hanabi's face.

"Itachi...are you okay?"

 **….**

 **Sunday, May 26, 2021, 5:56 pm**

 **Hakone Resort and Hotsprings**

 **….**

Itachi frowned as he looked out the café window at the snow-covered landscape that surrounded the resort. The cup of green tea he'd ordered was quickly growing cold in front of him but the sips he had taken had been just as good as the barista had raved. Hanabi had chosen the itinerary for their summer trip this year as compensation for the trouble he'd caused her over winter break. The Hakone resort had always been a place he'd wanted to go so it wasn't much of a stretch to grant her this wish. A large part of him wished to participate in all of the facilities the snowy resort had to offer but the time for that had apparently passed.

The Uchiha placed his book on the small round table and pressed a pensive hand against his chest. At the moment he felt fine. There was no build up of phlegm and he'd been able to breathe easily since his release from the hospital. Although deep breaths were something he still struggled with, for the most part, he felt fine when he took his medicine. How long would this last though? His life was already destined to be shorter than most but how long would this respite last?

"Wow, that was awesome!" A boisterous voice laughed as they used the back door to enter the café. The bell above the door chime with the voice's entrance and along with it a group of other young, jovial voices.

A group of four boys piled into the café, bringing the cold air inside with them. Their cheeks and noses were red from the cold and snow stuck to their bulky clothing. Their laughter filled the previously silent café, disturbing the brief peace he'd been able to find.

"Hey! Look-" one of the boys said, pointing out the window at a small figure coming towards the café. "There's that girl from earlier."

Itachi watched as the girl they were referring to opened the door, bell chiming upon her entrance, and was surprised to see Hanabi. She was thoroughly bundled from head to toe in brightly colored equipment he'd picked out for her himself. Itachi chuckled a bit to himself as he remembered her protest at putting on so many layers but he was sure that she was thankful for it after being out in the snow for a few hours. She looked like a giant purple grape by the time she'd put on her ski jacket but he thought she looked cute.

One of the boys, the tallest of the bunch, appeared to find her cute as well and started walking towards her with only a bit of goading from his friends. He removed his black knitted skull cap as he approached Hanabi to reveal a full head of curly black hair. Itachi snorted at the boy's hair, it looked positively silly in his opinion. He watched as a similar thought flitted through Hanabi's eyes at the boy's approach or at least that's what his mind wished for him to see. No, Hanabi wouldn't be interested in some loud pretty boy.

Itachi paused as the feeling of jealousy continued to spike within him. What the hell was wrong with him? There was no reason he should be feeling this way towards Hanabi. He'd tossed away the weird way she made him feel over the years and chalked it up to her just becoming a constant fixture in his life. It was normal to want to see someone as bright as she was and feel a bit down when she was gone.

In many ways, she reminded him of Sasuke but Sasuke didn't need him anymore. Hanabi did...maybe that's why he gravitated towards her? Gravitated may be the wrong word to describe their coexistence that had become his new normal. It was more like she'd wormed her way into his life and refused to leave. She was a welcome disturbance until now.

He wasn't made of stone the way many people assumed, the way many women he'd encountered had described him. He had urges just like any breathing man would and Hanabi had blossomed as she'd gotten older. She wasn't the same gangly seventeen year old anymore. Itachi

He knew exactly what it was that he was feeling but that didn't make it right. That didn't make it okay. His role in her life was a caretaker and friend. That's it. That's the way it was supposed to be. Yet...as he recalled the way she slipped into his bed the way she did every night, less than responsible thoughts crept into his mind...

 _"Move over Chi." Hanabi whined as he refused to make room for her on his bed. "Please?"_

 _"You have your own room Hanabi. Sleep in there."_

 _"But it's lonely in there-"_

 _"Hana-"_

 _"Did I do something wrong?" She asked softly. "You've been acting distant since yesterday."_

 _Itachi frowned even though he knew she couldn't see the expression in the dark. She wasn't the problem...well, not inherently. The problem was that he did not only want her in the bed beside him. He wanted her underneath him, legs wrapped around his waist and his name on her lips. Hanabi was innocent of the thoughts that swirled through his mind. Innocent to the desire that had been innocuously developing for years and was now threatening to bubble up to the surface._

 _He heard Hanabi sniff a bit at his continued silence, no doubt upset with his rejection. However, she accepted his lack of response as an answer and left the room. When his door closed behind her, Itachi finally let out a sigh of relief at her exit and rolled over onto his back. Despite her no longer being in the room, the urge to have her remained. He still hoped she would come back to him and continue to beg. There was no doubt in his mind that he would oblige- Itachi stopped that thought cold and uncomfortably rolled back onto his side._

 _"There's something wrong with me."_

…."Itachi!" Hanabi called out to him, breaking out of his thoughts.

She bounded up to his table, leaving her suitor looking rather put out behind her. Seeing the younger man's eyes narrow as Hanabi excitedly crossed the room made Itachi's mood lift slightly. The Hyuuga sank down excitedly into the chair across from him and began excitedly relaying the events of her day. Retelling every minute detail from her snowboarding lessons that morning to her first independent run. Unfortunately, he was wasn't able to focus on the words coming out of her mouth.

'Yes.' He thought as he watched the tip of her tongue dart out to wet her lips mid-speech. 'There's definitely something wrong with me.'

"Chi." She asked, reaching out to touch his hand on top of the table. "Is everything alright?"

Itachi slipped his hand out from under hers, distinctly aware of the loss of warmth upon doing so. Hanabi's hand still hovered over where his hand had been for a moment before slowly retracting it back.

 **….**

 **Monday May 27 2021 1:02am**

 **Hakone Resort and Hotsprings**

 **…..**

 _Hanabi squeezed her eyes shut as she willed sleep to come to her but it wouldn't. No matter how much she tossed and turned she just couldn't get to sleep. She had had a full day of activity on the slopes and a big dinner...granted she'd mostly picked at it but she should at least feel a little tired. The time on her cell phone told her it was much too late for any reasonable person to still be awake...yet here she was. Rolling over for the umpteenth time, she mentally cursed whoever she'd wronged for keeping sleep an elusive goal._

 _It shouldn't be this hard. Normally she had no trouble getting to sleep, especially during the summer. Why was she having such trouble now? A small, childish voice in the back of her mind blamed Itachi. His distant and rejection was what was making her feel so conflicted. She didn't want to admit it but the more he pushed her away the more she wanted to get closer. She didn't understand his rejection. Why was he suddenly treating her like she was repulsive? Frowning, Hanabi sat up_ in _her bed and stared at the wall that separated their rooms. Itachi had been fine when they'd first arrived but now he was acting completely different. Had she done something wrong? Clearly, she had otherwise he wouldn't be acting this way. Itachi never did anything without reason._

 _Carefully she slipped out of her bed and made her way towards her door. There was no way she was going to be able to sleep on her own tonight, Itachi was just going to have to let her sleep with him. He'd probably be too tired at an hour like this to protest too much anyway. The cold hardwood floor was harsh against her bare feet, causing her to flit quickly to his room. The door was unlocked as it always was and inside was dark save for the light of the full moon beaming through the window. In the middle of the bed, there was a squirming lump that popped up._

 _"Ha-Hanabi." He stammered and the Hyuuga cocked her head slightly to the side._

 _She hadn't expected Itachi to still be awake and she had never heard him stutter before. It was weird. The weirdness only intensified when he unnecessarily adjusted the comforter over his lap and cleared his throat._

 _"What are you doing here?" He asked and Hanabi shrugged her shoulders as she walked towards the bed._

 _"I can't sleep." She said and pulled the covers so that she could slip into the bed._

 _"No." He said firmly, stopping from climbing in._

 _"Why?"_

 _Itachi remained silent, his eyes looking everywhere but at her. Inside she felt an anger boil in her chest. She was tired of him giving her the silent treatment. Weren't adults supposed to use their words to communicate with others? If so, Itachi was doing a shitty job at being an adult. Indignantly she climbed into the bed anyway, much to Itachi's clear distaste. He shifted away from her slightly, further twisting the knife of rejection in her gut._

 _"I don't understand." She said, forcing her voice not to sound as hurt as she felt. It wasn't working. "Why are you acting like I'm gross all of a sudden?"_

 _"You're not gross."_

 _"Well, you're acting like I am."_

 _"Hanabi go to bed."_

 _"I am not a child you can boss around!" The Hyuuga snapped angrily and immediately regretted the words as soon as they left her lips._

 _Itachi was hovering over her in an instant, trapping her underneath him. The aura that rolled off of him was unlike anything she'd felt around him before. It felt dangerous and against her better judgment piqued her curiosity. Skillful fingers gripped her the underside of her thighs and pulled her legs apart so that he could fit comfortably between them. A distinct hardness pressed up against her center causing a long-dormant heat to rush through her body._

 _"I-Itachi-" she stuttered as he rubbed himself against her a bit more purposefully. Without her permission, her hips rose to meet his and she enjoyed the friction they created together._

 _"You are not a child and_ I _..." He said huskily and the sound made her breath hitch in her throat. "I am not a man whose bed you should crawl into."_

 _"Itachi-"_

 _"Hanabi."_

"Hanabi."

When Hanabi awoke the next morning to the persistent knocking on her door she found herself still in her own bed and a stickiness between her thighs. She blushed furiously as wisps of her dream flashed through her mind. The memory of it felt so sinful yet at the same time made her curious. She'd never had an erotic dream before. Were they all so...vivid? Her initial instinct was to call her sister but that plan was immediately dashed. It would be much too awkward to tell Hinata she was having dirty dreams about her husband's older brother.

"Hanabi." Itachi called through the door, continuing his knocking spree.

The Hyuuga blushed as she heard his voice. It sounded even better than in her dream.

"Hanabi they stop serving breakfast in an hour. Either get up or starve until lunch."

 **….**

 **Monday, May 27, 2021, 10:30 am**

 **Hakone Resort and Hotsprings**

 **….**

Hanabi sighed as she picked at the waffle on her plate. Normally she would have devoured at least three waffles by now but her throat felt as though it was closed. She looked across the table at Itachi who was none the wiser over her difficulties eating. He raised a mug of tea to his lips and she could help but wonder if his lips were as soft as they looked. Heat immediately rose to her face at the thought and she returned her eyes back to her plate. It was absolutely ridiculous for her to allow her dream to influence her waking thoughts. She felt like one of Itachi's horny admirers! Warily she glanced back up at Itachi who was now unwittingly flipping to a new page in his book.

"If you want something you should say so instead of just staring." He said flatly and Hanabi gulped.

"I wasn't staring." She countered guiltily averting her gaze to the table.

"Hey, Hanabi!" A voice called out, breaking the awkward air that surrounded their breakfast table.

The Hyuuga looked up to see the curly haired boy from yesterday bounding up to their table. What was his name again? Rei? Ren? She couldn't remember his name even if her life depended on it. He seemed to remember her though and she just couldn't understand why. She hadn't been the friendliest person to him. She wasn't rude but she wasn't exactly warm so why did he look so happy to see her?

"Hey! I'm glad we ran into each other again!" He said, awkwardly scratching the back of his curly head.

"Yea." Hanabi said tersely, not exactly sure why seeing each other was such a good thing.

Across the table, Itachi flipped to a new page in his book albeit a bit more aggressively than usual.

"I...um...I was wondering if you were um free today?" He asked and Hanabi cocked her head slightly to the side. She really didn't have any set plans, she never did when she was on vacation. Racking her brain the multitude of activities she'd been wanting to try, she tapped a finger against her chin.

"I don't really have any plans...I guess I was going to go on the sky lift-" she said pensively and the boy's brown eyes lit up.

"Really?!" He said a bit too excitedly, blushing as he caught himself. "I mean really? Um...I went on it a few days ago and it was pretty cool. I can keep you company if you want."

"Keep me company?'

Hanabi absently ran her hands through her hair. She didn't see the need for this strange boy to 'keep her company'. She was perfectly capable of locating the cable cars on her own. If he'd already been on the ride why did he want to waste his time going again? Plus he probably expected her to make conversation with him and that was not something she felt like doing at the moment. He blushed awkwardly and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"There's also a petting zoo at the end of it. I didn't get to go last time because it was closed but I think it's open today. Oh and there's a specialty chocolate shop that I heard was really good...if you like chocolate of course."

"This sounds a lot like a date." Itachi said flatly, drawing the boy's attention to him. His brown eyes grew big with surprise at seeing him and quickly tried to save face by extending his hand out.

"Oh! I didn't see you there!" The boy laughed. "My name's Riku. Nice to meet you!"

Itachi turned another page in his book, disregarding Riku's outstretched hand. Riku allowed his hand to hang out in the air for a moment before pulling it back and plastering an uncomfortable smile on his face. Hanabi subtly kicked the Uchiha's shin under the table for being so rude but he didn't even flinch.

"Well...is it a date?" He asked and Riku shift from one foot to the other.

"Um...well...I mean." He spluttered and Hanabi decided to take pity on him.

"Ignore him. He's in a grouchy mood this morning for some reason."

"I only asked a simple question."

"It's rude."

"You're one to talk about rude."

Hanabi crossed her arms and slumped back in her chair. What the hell was Itachi's problem? He'd been snippy all morning and when he wasn't snapping he was ignoring her. At this rate, she was starting to like 'dream' Itachi much better than the real thing.

"What's your problem?" She huffed as Itachi turned yet another page in his book. At this point, she knew he wasn't even reading so the motion only served to further her irritation.

"I only asked your admirer about his intentions." He said simply causing Hanabi's mouth to fall open.

" _Intentions_?" She hissed. "Who the hell are you? Neji?"

"Um...maybe I should go." Riku said hesitantly, awkwardly starting to back away.

"No. Stay." Hanabi snapped at him and he froze instantly. "If it is a date does it matter?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Itachi remained silent. Instead, electing to close his book and get up from the table. He gave Riku a curt nod and began walking away.

"Where are you going?" She called out after him, her anger rising the longer he was silent.

She got up from the table as well, completely forgetting about the curly haired boy and following after the Uchiha. The lobby was mostly deserted at this hour since the resort's patrons were out enjoying the outdoor facilities. The lack of people to navigate around meant that Itachi was able to move a lot faster. He'd reached the elevators and was already entering an empty one when she reached him. Without thinking she reached her hand out between the closing doors and prayed her wrist wasn't smashed. Luckily the doors retracted just in time and she hopped onto the elevator. Once inside Itachi stared at her with wide eyes.

"What the hell Hanabi-" he started, taking a step towards her just as the door reclosed. "Don't do things like that."

"Don't walk away when I ask you a question." She countered only to find herself pressed up against the elevator door.

The Uchiha glared down at her, his body barely a hair's width away from her.

"You're a brat. You know that right?" He mumbled and reached out to press the button for their floor.

"I've been told."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **Q is for Inconvenience**

 _It was hard to find time for themselves, especially when the twins demanded so much of their attention_


	17. Q is for Inconvenience

**CCNote: This chapter was inspired by Cardi B and trying not to be too hype to not finish this chapter. I swear the longer I'm away from the culture the more excited I get about it lol. In other news, have you ever played with kids? The one time you do something fun they want you to do it a million more times until for you it turns into pure torture. It's the same from small children to teens. Little kids want a million piggy back rides while teens wanna play UNO every single English lunch (#WHY?!) until you have to hide the fucking cards and say you lost them. Le sigh. Anyway, please enjoy this chapter. I'll see you guys...whenever I start writing again I guess. Until then please REVIEW and enjoy this Holiday Season!**

 **PS: Heading to the Hanazono Shrine before I get on my flight home tomorrow (12/25). If you follow me on Snap Chat you'll get to see a lot of fun videos and pics today so be sure to check it out!**

 **Q is for Inconvenience**

 **Saturday October 21 2023 7:21pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

"Pew pew! Pew! Pew!"

"Boom! We did it! We got the Commander!"

"Father you have to go down! We got you!"

Sasuke's eye twitched as foam bullets shot at him from all sides. His sons ran around him, shooting their toy guns until they ran out of bullets. Slowly the elder Uchiha sank to the floor. He wasn't good at acting but it was good enough to satisfy his rambunctious boys. Hajime quickly grabbed a pair of plastic handcuffs off of the couch and fastened them onto his father's wrists.

"Haha! The evil Commander is defeated." They cheered and skipped around the room, relishing their victory.

"Oh no." Sasuke said monotonously, blowing a bit of his hair out of his eyes. "I've been captured."

Part of him wished that he could be more enthused but this was the third rendition of 'defeat the Commander' for the day and honestly he needed a nap. Hajime and Hiroto were none the wiser of their father's exhaustion. Instead, they happily gave each other a high five and ran off from the living room towards their own bedroom, no doubt in preparation to get something else to torment him with. Sasuke sighed as he looked down at the plastic handcuffs they'd placed on him. It was a mistake letting the two of them watch space adventure movies because now all they wanted to do was beat him up and trap him. It was all Naruto's fault really. He'd let the boys watch his favorite movies from when he was a child and now they were obsessed.

Sasuke groaned and looked towards the direction the twins had could hear them bickering in their room over where they had their spare foam bullets-another purchase that Sasuke regretted getting them. The little orange bullets were scattered throughout the penthouse and no matter how much he and Hinata tried to keep the bullets together, they always found several in places where they didn't belong.

"Hinata." He called out to his wife who he knew was taking up solace in the kitchen. "Hinata."

Usually, she'd be dragged into the twins' adventures as well but she'd promised them cookies. Anything sugary was the twins' kryptonite and served as a very convenient 'get out of play time free' card. Instead of being pelted with foam bullets she got a few moments of peace in the kitchen and he got the brunt of their terror. When she didn't respond to his calls he looked out towards the hallway, still hearing the echoes of their bickering, and decided he better investigate what was going on in the kitchen. With any luck the twins might forget about him although he knew deep down that was just wishful thinking.

Inside of the kitchen, he found his wife sitting on top of the island facing the stove with a glass of red wine in one hand and her cellphone in the other. In her ears were earphones which explained why she hadn't responded to his previous calls. The silly grin on her face let him know that she was having a lot more fun than he was at the moment. He cleared his throat but of course, she didn't hear him. Taking full advantage of her distraction he slowly crept up behind her and used his handcuffed hands to pull one of her earphones out. She jumped in surprise at the loss, clutching her wine glass close to her chest when she realized it was only him.

"Sasuke you scared me!" She said breathlessly and he smirked.

"While I am being tortured you're in here watching..." He said, taking her phone away from her and snorting when he saw the image of a cat wearing a ridiculous hat and running around in a circle. "Cute cat videos."

Hinata blushed and took her phone back from him.

"I'm watching the cookies." She said defensively.

Indeed the penthouse was filled with the sweet aroma of cookies baking in the oven but he knew that they didn't require Hinata holing herself up in the kitchen.

"You're hiding." He accused, taking her glass of wine and draining at least half of it in one go. Hinata stuck out her tongue.

"Don't be jealous."

Sasuke smirked and moved around the island so that he could stand directly in front of his wife. He'd rubbed off on her over the years and she was becoming much more open with teasing him back. She was still his easily embarrassed Hyuuga but he enjoyed the small changes that came with her becoming an Uchiha. He couldn't always indulge in her newfound boldness though. Between work and the twins, it was becoming increasingly difficult to find time for themselves.

He leaned forward to kiss her but a muffled crash from down the hall made him draw back with an exasperated sigh. Hinata shook her head and smiled before skillfully unlatching the plastic handcuffs around his wrists. She pressed a quick kiss against his chin and smoothly jerked her head back in the direction of their children's likely destruction.

"You're needed, Commander."

 **….**

 **Sunday, October 22, 2023, 2:30 pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

Hinata hummed to herself as she tossed the last of the laundry from the dryer into her basket and hefted the entire ensemble up onto her him. The boys went through more clothing than she thought could even be humanly possible. She thought that once the twins had passed their toddler stage she wouldn't be washing clothes every day but that had been a pipe dream. At least when they were toddlers she had some idea of what were the culprits of the stains on their clothing but now most things were unidentifiable.

Even Sasuke went through clothing at an unexpected rate, almost to the point that it felt like he was mixing his clean clothing in with his dirty. This was actually the most likely reason since she'd washed the same items her mother in law had purchased throughout the last three months at least a dozen times. She'd never seen Sasuke wear a single article of the clothing his mother bought him yet they always ended up in the bottom of their laundry basket. Sighing she stopped in front of their bedroom door and pushed it open. If Sasuke continued to superfluously add clothing to the basket she was going to start making him wash his own stuff soon.

As she moved from laundry room to her bedroom she noted just how quiet the twins were. They weren't bad children but it was never a good thing when they became too quiet. She shook her head of the mistrust, excusing it as irrational maternal paranoia and continuing down the hallway.

Once inside of her tidy bedroom she placed the basket of laundry on the bed and set to work trying to fold the pile of clothing before it wrinkled. As she worked she noted absently how much bigger the twins were getting. They were growing much faster than she'd anticipated and soon they'd become too big to share Itachi's old room she and Sasuke had turned into a nursery. It worked perfectly well when they were infants and subsequently as they became toddlers. Now, however, the space was overwrought with toys and bickering as the boys found it difficult to share the same space the bigger they became. Sure they were identical twins but they had their own distinct personalities and as such, they deserved their own space. The penthouse was big but it didn't satisfy the needs of her rapidly growing family.

She set down a folded green shirt on the bed and took up a yellow one from the basket. She didn't want to move far away from the twins' paternal grandparents. The twins were especially attached to Fugaku and having him on the floor below provided a greater help than she would have expected considering his negative reaction to her pregnancy five years ago. Sneaky hands wrapped around her waist and lips pressed against her temple.

"You're thinking too hard." Her husband whispered in her ear and she shivered against him.

"You're getting good at sneaking up on me." She giggled and turned around in his arms.

Quickly she discovered that the Uchiha was completely naked save for a fluffy white towel wrapped around his waist. Beads of water dripped down from his hair to his shoulders, sensually trailing down his chest and onto areas that still made her face turn red. They'd been together for over five years and married for four, why was it that he was still able to get this kind of reaction out of her? The only answer she could come up with was witchcraft. The Uchiha had long been rumored to be a cursed clan. It wouldn't be that much of a stretch for Sasuke to have put her under a spell right? Warm fingers wormed their way under her shirt and up her back, leaving trails of electricity in their wake.

"Sasuke." She whispered, placing her hands on his shoulders and stretching upwards on her toes to meet his lips.

When they met a mutual sigh of relief coursed through both of them. It'd been far too long since their lips had met intimately. Despite the absence, their bodies fell into a familiar rhythm, one that led her to tug at his towel teasingly. His hands gripped her hips tighter and pulled her flush against him. Her entire face felt as though it was on fire as his eager tongue slipped past lips and commandeered her mouth. It was all she could do just to keep up with him When they broke apart she could only gasp for air briefly before Sasuke's lips found hers again.

"Sasuke." She gasped, breaking away from him reluctantly between kisses. "I've got to-to finish this first."

"I'll finish it."

"Sasuke-" she whispered as his teeth grazed her neck.

"Mother! Hiroto won't share-" Hajime shouted as he unceremoniously burst into his parents' room. "Why is Father naked?"

Hinata pushed Sasuke away from her immediately at the sound of her son's voice. Luckily the towel was still around his waist, otherwise, the boy would have gotten more of an eyeful than he should have. Hiroto's loud footsteps could be heard just outside of their room and he shoved himself into the room the same way his brother had. He looked at his guilty mother and father for a second before turning to his older brother.

"Why Is Father naked?" He asked and Hajime shrugged his shoulders. "It's not bath time."

"I don't know." He said with a cavalier shake of his dark head. "He's just too lazy to put on clothes."

"Uncle Naruto isn't lazy like Father. He always has clothes."

"Yea always. Papa also has clothes and Uncle Neji."

"Father, why are you so lazy?"

Hinata blushed and tried to usher the boys out of the room before they bruised their father's pride more than they already had.

 **….**

 **Monday October 23 2023 10:45pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

"Sasuke!" She cried out as she reached her release.

He continued to thrust into her before he finally reached the same conclusion and came inside of her. He rolled off of her onto his back, panting heavily from their encounter. Willing her heart to slow down, Hinata stared up at the ceiling. All of her muscles felt like jelly and she wasn't sure if she wanted to cuddle or stay as far away from Sasuke as possible lest she risk igniting another session. Slowly she rolled over onto her side and reached down for her nightgown that Sasuke had unceremoniously discarded. Luckily this one hadn't been ripped so it was still wearable. She pulled the satin material over her head and tried to smooth it over her body. The bed shifted and a warm hand caressed one of her thighs before sliding in between them.

"If you put that back on, you will just entice me more for." Her husband's deep voice growled and Hinata shivered under his touch.

There was nothing overtly sexual about her nightgown. It was just simple white one lacking any lace or frills but it garnered a satisfying reaction from Sasuke. There were many things that confused her about her husband but one thing she knew for certain was that he was insatiable. Especially since the birth of the twins and the outside demands of their lives. Sasuke had become even more ravenous. Sometimes she wondered if she was even able to keep up with his appetite. She liked it though. She enjoyed knowing that Sasuke still found her attractive and relished the attention he doted on her when they were able to find time alone. Just the thought of another round made her throb.

"Sasuke." she moaned, spreading her legs apart.

The bed shifted again and this time he was sitting behind her, his fingers angling for her now exposed center. Warm, well-placed kisses glided along her neck and she leaned back into his embrace-

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Mother!" A little voice whimpered from the other side of the door.

Sasuke removed his exploring hand and Hinata's legs immediately snapped shut at the sound of their son's voice. The door to their master bedroom was locked at night but that didn't prevent the two of them from immediately stopping their activities.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"I'm coming!" Hinata called out and slipped off of the bed to attend to their son.

She scampered over to their dresser and quickly yanked open the middle drawer to find an oversized t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants that would be suitable enough to walk out in. She quickly pulled the articles of clothing on as her son continued to knock on the other side of the door.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" She called out and opened the door.

On the other side was a dark haired little boy with eyes full of tears. Hinata felt her heart break looking at him and crouched down to his level. He immediately flung his arms around her neck and whimpered. Hinata wrapped her arms around his small frame and held him close to his body, hoping that her own warmth would make the little boy stop shaking.

"Oh, Hiro." She cooed. "Did you have a bad dream again?"

Behind her, Sasuke slipped out of the bed as well and pulled on his discarded pajama bottoms. This wasn't a new instance. Hiroto had always had trouble sleeping through the night. It had gotten better the older he got but he still had bad dreams at night. Terrors that his parents couldn't drive away when he was alone and the darkness closed in on him. Despite the fact that he was the more outgoing and competitive of the twins, he was arguably more sensitive when it came to the dark. Hajime slept like a rock so when he was feeling fearful, Hiroto always sought them out.

As she always did, she picked him up and started walking him through the penthouse back towards his room. Sasuke followed closely behind her out of habit. It wasn't necessary that he come along but he'd been the one who stayed up through the night with Hiroto when he was a baby. No matter how tired he was, he was always the one to soothe his son's tears. Hiroto's little face was buried in the crook of her shoulder, silent tears soaking through her shirt and onto her skin. Hinata comfortingly rubbed his back on their trek back to his room and soon the five-year old's tears dried up.

Inside of the room, Hajime was sleeping spread eagle on his bed and blissfully unaware of his brother's discomfort. Hinata tried to lay him down on his bed but he wouldn't let go of her neck. With a soft smile, she patted his unruly dark hair down and laid on the little bed herself. Hiroto cuddled even further into her with the change of position, chubby fingers gripping the material of her shirt. Slowly but surely he eventually fell asleep but he never let her go.

Sasuke sat on the floor next to the low lying bed and carefully ran his fingers through Hiroto's dark hair the way he always did. It was hard for them to find time for themselves now that the twins demanded all of their attention. Hinata didn't mind it too much though. It allowed her to see softer sides of Sasuke...sides that he only showed to his sons. Hinata smiled and pressed a soft kiss to Hiroto's forehead, sleep overcoming her as well.

 **….**

 **Saturday November 23 2023 1:22pm**

 **Uchiha Residence**

 **...**

"C'mon! We have to take him down!"

"The Commander is too strong!"

Hinata smiled as she watched Sasuke get pummeled by the twins in the living room. Last night they'd had a sleepover at the Hokage mansion and Naruto had let them watch wrestling. Of course, the twins had returned and now wanted to try out all of their new moves on their unsuspecting father. He was only an obstacle for them to defeat at this point and there was no greater joy than taking him down. Unless one counted cookies, cookies always outranked beating up the Uchiha patriarch.

In her hands, she clutched a small white stick close to her chest. Hiroto jumped on her husband's back while Hajime tried to use all of his weight to make his father's right arm bend. Hinata giggled as she watched them. Maybe Sasuke was right, maybe they shouldn't allow the twins to have sleepovers with the Uzumakis. The aftermath of each visit wrought brought more torment than the last

Hinata smiled and looked down at the white stick she carried in her hands. A pink plus sign was evident in the tiny window and made her heart beat as fast as it had five years ago. A baby. Another Uchiha baby. Hajime and Hiroto were growing up so fast but were she and Sasuke ready to handle a third child? Would Sasuke be ready to accept even more responsibility? Her fingers tightened around the pregnancy test as she walked around the corner.

Whether Sasuke was ready or not, a baby was growing within her and her husband really didn't have much of a choice. That didn't stop her from feeling nervous though. As she tentatively walked into the living room, Sasuke looked up at her warily. He peeled Hajime off of his back as soon as he saw the white stick in her grasp.

"Hinata?" He questioned, his voice full of understanding without her having to say a word.

She nodded her head, her eyes threatening to overfill with happy tears despite her best efforts to remain calm.

"There are reinforcements coming, Commander."

 _ **To be continued...**_

 **R is for Babies**

 _The twins weren't quite sure what all of the fuss was about. All Honoka did_ was _poop and cry so why did everyone pay her so much attention?_


	18. R is for Babies

**CCNote : Guess who's back! Did ya miss me? I missed ya'll for sure! Being back home was just what I needed and I brought back tons of stuff to Japan. Your suitcase gets really weird when you live abroad. I dragged two suitcases (one of which was nearly empty) across the world just so I could fill them with vanilla coke, velveta, candy, candles, toothpaste, HOT SAUCE, hand sanitizer, and other stuff. I even brought back a bottle of spicy mustard and my fiancé shook his head in shame lol. I digress.**

 **Here's the latest chapter! Have you ever been around a four to six year old extensively? If so you will identify with this chapter and Hiroto who has a one-track mind. I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Side note, a few people have reached out to me about the program I'm on here in Japan and a couple have actually applied. If you're a US applicant interview invitations were sent out yesterday so be sure to check your emails! Good luck!**  
 **In any case, this chapter is kinda long to make up for my absence. Enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW! I really want to know what you think of the twins!**

 **R is for Babies**

 **December 24 2023 10:15am**

 **Hyuuga Winter Estate- Main House**

 **...**

Hiroto frowned as his mother adjusted his red scarf around his neck for the one billionth time. Maybe it hadn't been one billion times, more like seven, but it felt like a billion. Plus he'd just learned the number billion and it was bigger than a million and meant that it was better than any number his brother could come up with. Hajime couldn't even count to a billion and well…neither could he but he knew it had a bunch of zeros. His mother tugged worriedly at his scarf and adjusted the matching knitted hat on his head.

"He looks fine Hinata." His father's baritone chided and his mother sighed before letting him go. "You shouldn't be so nervous."

"I…I'm not nervous." His mother countered as she smoothed down the front of her black winter coat. His father narrowed his eyes and rang the doorbell.

"Yes, you are. Whenever it comes to him you always get like this."

Hiroto rolled his eyes and shuffled closer to his brother for warmth. Their parents had been speaking in code the entire car ride up to the Winter Estate. It was really annoying not understanding what they were talking about and they didn't explain no matter how many times he and his brother asked. It wasn't that big of a deal though. They were both excited about returning to the Winter Estate. It didn't snow in Konoha, although it did get really really cold, but there was tons of snow here. The snow and the fact that they got a bunch of presents made visiting the Winter Estate the highlight of their year.

They didn't even get to come last year which put a real damper on Christmas and the Christmas before that his favorite aunt and uncle had been missing or at least that's what he'd overheard his father saying over the phone yesterday in an effort to make sure that Uncle Chi actually showed up for Christmas this year. The young Uchiha hoped that his uncle would show, he always made everything more fun and was able to get his father to make funny faces.

Hiroto let out a breath and marveled at the white smoke that escaped from his mouth just as the front door to the main house opened. The promise of warmth spilled out onto the doorstep and the twins rushed inside past the startled Hyuuga Branch member.

"Oh, my!" the middle-aged woman gasped in surprise.

"Boys." Their father reprimanded tersely and the twins turned sheepishly back to their parents.

Hiroto puckered his lips and tried not to make eye contact with what he knew was a hard look on his father's face.

"Boys." His mother's soft voice spoke up. "What do you do when someone invites you in?"

Simultaneously he and his brother bowed the way their mother had taught them, although Hiroto thought that he'd done a better job than Hajime.

"Thank you for having us!" they said together before straightening.

"So polite!" the woman cooed as she kneeled down to the five-year-olds' level. "We're happy to have you!"

Much to Hiroto and Hajime's mutual disdain, the older woman pulled at their cheeks and gushed about how cute they were. Hiroto really wanted to smack the lady's hands away from his face but he knew that his mother wouldn't like that. She always looked really sad when he did things like that even when people deserved it. Fortunately, the woman was distracted by a call from the kitchen and relieved himself and his brother from her clutches.

"What's going on?" Hajime asked as their mother and father started removing all of their winter gear. It was much too hot inside of the main house to keep it on. "Why are there so many people here?"

All around them Hyuuga Branch members were rushing from door to door with armloads of everything from blankets to decorations to food. Hiroto had never seen the Winter Estate so busy! Usually, it was only his uncles and aunts running around. Now there were tons of people who had eyes like his mother and whose names he'd never bothered to remember.

"This is a very important time for the family." their mother said as she removed his brother's hat and proceeded to unzip his puffy coat.

Hiroto pouted at how gentle his mother was with removing Hajime's coat. His father was a little too rough. Large hands quickly slipped off his gloves and unbuttoned his coat faster than he ever could. How was it possible that his father was so good with buttons?

"Important day?" Hajime asked and their mother nodded her head, a soft smile on her lips.

"Yes. Very important. This is Honoka's first birthday."

Hiroto rolled his eyes and knew that his brother was doing the same even though his back was to him. The slight wrinkle of his mother's brow told him so. It wasn't that they didn't like Honoka. It was just that she was…well, boring. All she did was poop and cry and sleep. She was nothing special in his opinion so he didn't understand why all of the adults made such a big fuss about her.

"Come on, let's go say hello to everyone." Their mother said and stood up with a huff as she addressed their father. "Don't antagonize Neji too much."

The twins giggled as their father grunted and turned away to head down the west wing of the main house. They repeatedly mimicked his 'hn' and it only earned them a soft sigh of defeat from their mother.

 **...**

 **December 24 2023 11:05am**

 **Hyuuga Winter Estate- Main House Nursery**

 **...**

"She's gotten so big!" his mother gushed as she held their squirming cousin in her arms.

The newly minted one year old wanted nothing to do with being held and wasn't constrained at all by the poofy crème colored dress she was wearing. His mother repeatedly kissed the top of the girl's curly brunette head despite Honoka's energy. Eventually, she put the wiggling girl on the ground and squealed happily as Honoka immediately began crawling away. Hajime laughed behind his hand as his brother pretended to make himself vomit. Their Aunt Tenten gave them a curious side-eye from her seat in the nursery room's rocking chair and they immediately stopped pantomiming.

"She really has. She'll be running around the compound soon if Lee has anything to say about it." She said with a sigh as she leaned to one side of the rocking chair, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. "However, I'm sure Neji is going to put her in a straight jacket if that ever happens. Did I ever tell you he belongs in the loonie bin?"

"Only every time I see you!" their mother laughed and absently ran her fingers through her long dark hair.

"What's a 'loonie bin'?" Hajime whispered to his brother who flashed a knowing smirk.

"Its where they keep all the loonies." He answered.

Hajime nodded his head at the practical response. It made sense. Trash went into a trash bin. Their toys went into their toy bin. Of course, loonies went to a loonie bin…but what was a loonie? Apparently, their Uncle Neji was a loonie but why?

"Don't worry." Their mother continued. "He'll get better as she gets older."

"One can only hope. At least the elders have finally been satisfied. You'd think they believed that babies materialized from thin air."

"Where do babies come from?" Hajime whispered.

Yet again Hiroto smirked and opened his mouth, however, nothing came out. His eyebrows knitted together which was a clear sign that he was trying to figure out an answer which took the other twin by surprise. Hiroto usually had an answer for everything. As his mother continued to talk with their aunt, Hajime felt a small tug on the edge of his dark blue sweater. He looked down at Honoka. Big white eyes blinked back at him, a bit of drool dribbling onto her chin. He tried to remove the sweater from her grip but she only tugged harder.

"Stop it." He whined but Honoka didn't listen.

She continued to grunt and tug at his sweater for reasons he couldn't understand. His Grandmother had bought him this sweater and he wasn't about to let a drooling baby mess it up. Hajime tried to get his brother's attention but he was too lost in his own mind to even look at him.

"Stop Honoka." He whispered, although this time with a bit more insistence.

His cousin still refused to listen and instead tugged even harder. Her legs curled underneath her as a look of determination set in her eyes. He continued to try to take his sweater away but Honoka was pretty strong for a baby. Soon her pudgy little hands started to grip higher as though she was trying to climb. Frightened, Hajime tapped his brother to deal with the situation but he was still thinking.

"Oh my god! Ten look!" his mother gasped as her attention finally turned from Aunt Tenten. "She's standing!"

Hajime breathed a sigh of relief when his aunt bounded from her rocking chair and immediately picked his cousin up. The girl had no choice but to let go of his sweater when she was being smothered with her mother's affection. He smoothed out his sweater, irritated at the discovery that where she grabbed was a little wet and also at the fact that his mother was back to gushing over the baby. Babies were gross and dumb. Wherever they came from they needed to be sent back.

"Let's go show Neji! He's going to flip!" Tenten giggled and rushed out of the nursery with his mother hot on her heels.

Just when he thought his mother was gone she popped her head back into the room, pale eyes scanning them up and down.

"Ito will be here soon so wait for him downstairs. Don't leave the main house." She said, a rare edge of authority seeping into her voice.

Hajime nodded his head and stiffened. His mother hardly ever sounded so strict but when she did it was best to listen. That was a lesson that came easily to him, Hiroto, on the other hand, was another story. He might have all the answers but he didn't listen very well. Just as his mother disappeared from the doorway, the doorbell rang which could only mean that Ito and his family had arrived. Now excited at the prospect of doing something fun, Hajime grabbed Hiroto's hand and tried to drag him out of the nursery but he didn't budge.

"Come on Hiro!" Hajime groused as he pulled his brother's hand. Downstairs he could hear his Uncle Naruto's boisterous voice and his Aunt Ino urging him to not be so loud. "See! Ito is here let's go!"

Hiroto only mumbled incoherently under his breath but allowed Hajime to lead him down the stairs. Hajime shook his head at his brother's distraction. What was he thinking about so hard?

 **...**

 **December 24 2023 12:30pm**

 **Hyuuga Winter Estate- Cottage 8**

 **...**

Hiroto huffed as he, his brother, and Ito sprinted down the ice-covered awnings leading away from the main house. It was much colder now than it had been when they arrived and he regretted not grabbing his hat and scarf when they'd left the main house. Hajime had told him to take it but he'd refused. He looked much cooler without the silly red hat his grandmother had bought for him. However, he hadn't thought about the fact that his ears felt like they were about to fall off.

"Hiro! Hiro slow down! Whoa!" Ito shouted from behind him, the sound of him falling on his butt immediately following it.

Hiroto glanced over his shoulder to see his brother helping the teary blonde back up to his feet. If Ito wasn't going to be able to keep up then he shouldn't have followed them outside.

"Hiro just slow down a little." Hajime whined and Hiroto rolled his eyes before running down the covered path again.

"Last one there has to eat a dirty sock!" he shouted over his shoulder.

He heard the initial groans from his brother and Ito but soon they were gaining ground. It didn't take long for his brother to run past him and Ito was even faster. The idea of eating a dirty sock was more than enough to motivate the two. Hiroto smirked, he knew that the threat would work. He always overheard his father threatening people over the phone and it seemed to work for him. Not one to lose to his own challenge, Hiroto picked up his speed.

It didn't take long for them to reach their destination. In fact, they may have gotten there faster if they hadn't been elbowing each other out of the way the whole time to take the lead. In the end, they were left at a three-way tie and had no choice but to agree that no one had to eat a dirty sock. Once that was settled, Hiroto reached up to grab the cottage's doorknob and twisted it to let himself and his companions in. Just as the door opened there was a loud thump and groan as a body hit the hardwood floor.

Once the heavy door was fully opened, the three boys were greeted with a sight akin to Christmas throwing up inside of the small living room cottage. Reams of green and red wrapping paper were rolled out on the floor and ribbons haphazardly dotted the floor. There were bags stuffed with sparkly gold tissue paper and more tinsel than could ever be considered necessary. A giant pile of gifts, some wrapped but most not, sat in front of the fireplace just begging to be played with.

"What the hell was that for- oh!" the voice from the floor called as they sat upright. "Hi boys!"

Hiroto cocked his head to one side at his bedraggled aunt from the door. Her long brunette hair was a mess with bows sticking to the tangles and she was still wearing her pajamas even though it was the middle of the day! How was it possible that she was even related to his mother?

"What are you doing on the floor?" he asked, Hiroto and Ito snickering on either side of him before jostling past to sit by the brightly lit fireplace and dig into the gift pile.

His pale-eyed aunt glared at his uncle who was righting himself on the couch and putting his hair into a ponytail.

"Your aunt has no comprehension of self-control." His uncle said flatly much to his aunt's chagrin.

"Compre-what?" Hajime said, confused by their uncle's words. Even though he wouldn't show it, Hiroto also didn't understand.

"Comprehension." Their uncle said with a wry smirk. "It means she does not have an understanding of something. In this case, it's self-control."

"My mommy says that my daddy has no self-control." Ito said as he started pulling bright gold tissue paper out of a bag and plunging his hand into its contents. "She says that he would eat ramen every night if he could!"

Hiroto snickered as his aunt scramble up from the floor and snatched the gift away from his sneaky fingers. Ito puffed out his cheeks and glared back at her. The Uchiha shook his head at the weak glare before climbing onto the couch to sit with his uncle.

"Don't lump me in with that guy. I have a perfect 'comprehension' of self-control." She said and picked up the gold tissue paper that Ito had tossed. He could feel the bad attitude rolling off of his aunt in waves. She probably needed a nap. "I just don't see the need to deprive myself of what I want like some people."

"What does deapewive mean?" Hajime asked as he scooted towards a large red bag.

"Deprive." Their aunt corrected, nudging the red bag out of his reach with her foot. "It means someone is being stupid."

"That's not what it…" Their uncle sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb before letting their aunt's statement pass. A heavy hand patted the top of his head, ruffling the dark locks his mother had spent the better part of their morning trying to cull. "What can I do for you boys? You really shouldn't be in here right now since I am the one on wrapping duty this year. Do your mothers know you've left the main house?"

Hiroto tensed as Hajime opened his mouth to answer. His brother couldn't tell a lie to save his life so he had to think fast.

"Yes!" Hiroto spoke up, cutting his brother off before he could get a word in.

"Is that so?" his uncle said, a dark eyebrow rising skeptically.

Hiroto nodded his head, hoping that more he nodded, the more convinced his uncle would be. Black eyes looked him up and down and for a moment, Hiroto swore his uncle could read his mind.

"Well, then Hiro. What could be so important that you came all the way out here in the cold?" he asked.

The Uchiha tore his eyes away from his elder and played with the stiff buttons on his coat. He could feel the eyes of his brother on him, waiting for him to speak. Hiroto disliked not knowing something. He especially hated admitting that he didn't know something in front of his brother and Ito who knew nothing. However the fact that he didn't know this one thing bothered him. Where did babies come from? As his aunt Tenten had said, they didn't just appear from thin air. If they didn't just appear that meant that they had to come from somewhere. Everyone started off as a baby and got big but how did that happen? How did he end up with his mother and father and not someone elses? How did someone even get a baby? Did they go to a baby store? He'd never seen a baby store before but there had to be a place to buy them. Maybe the internet? His grandmother bought things on the internet all the time.

"Well?" his uncle asked, breaking him from his thoughts. Hiroto looked up from his buttons and sat up straight like his father did when he was talking to important people.

"Uncle Chi…where do babies come from?" he asked the adults in the room froze.

Hajime and Ito didn't really care about the question. They were more interested in the opening that it had provided and were taking advantage of their aunt's momentary distraction. His uncle's brow furrowed a bit as he ran a hand over his face.

"Why do you want to know?" his aunt asked and Hiroto crossed his arms over his chest.

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because, because, because, because!"

"Hiroto," his uncle interjected and the boy backed down from his aunt's prying. It was already bad enough he had to admit that he didn't know something. "You'll find out when you get older."

Hiroto frowned. He wanted to know _now_.

"Why?"

"You're too young-" he started to explain but his aunt snorted.

"Everyone is too young to you." She quipped as she remembered the other boys pilfering through the pile of presents. She picked up both of them by the back of their coats and walked them over to the couch. "If you're going to explain something you need to do better than that tired old excuse."

"Hanabi they're five." His uncle said flatly and his aunt placed her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. Although, it was hard to take her seriously when there were bright red ribbons stuck in her hair.

"If they can ask the question they deserve an answer."

Hiroto scooted close to the edge of the couch. Excited to hear what his aunt had to say. It must be really important if his Uncle Itachi was unwilling to tell him.

"When two people love each other very very very much. They can have a baby." His aunt explained and Hiroto blinked back at her.

Love? What did that mean? His mother told him that she loved him all the time but they didn't have a baby. Love wasn't like money. You couldn't take love to the store and buy things. If love could buy a baby then it could only be used at the baby store. How much love could buy a baby? Five 'I love you's'? A hundred? It must be a lot since it took two people's 'I love you's to buy one baby. How much did it cost for his parents to have him and his brother?

"How much love can buy a baby? Where do two people go to buy a baby? Why does it have to be two people? Can't one person who has a lot of love have a baby? How does the baby store make the babies?" he asked and his aunt paused, surprised by his questions.

"Erm…well-" she stammered, her face turning increasingly red.

"Alright, boys. I think you need to head back to the main house before your mother and Ino realize you're gone." His uncle said as he stood up from the couch. He walked over to the pile of presents and grabbed the first bag he saw. He then pulled out a bunch of coloring books and handed one to each of them.

"But Uncle Chi-" Hiroto protested, unhappy that his questions were being ignored. His uncle was supposed to know everything!

Hajime and Ito were already scrambling off of the couch and heading towards the front door. They didn't care that their aunt and uncle were being unfair. All they cared about were coloring books!

"Come on Hiro." Hajime said as he took his hand.  
Hiroto resisted the urge to yank his hand away. Even if his aunt and uncle wouldn't tell him, he'd find the answer out one way or another.

 **...**

 **December 24 2023 1:10pm**

 **Hyuuga Winter Estate- Courtyard**

 **...**

Naruto sucked in a worried breath as he hurriedly made his way down the icy awning pathway. The sharp intake of frigid air didn't help to assuage his nerves. If anything it only heightened them. Flashbacks of carrying Sasuke and Hanabi's shivering bodies ran through his mind and caused a mild panic to set in. He'd only looked the other way for a few minutes and the next thing he knew Ito was gone. He hadn't thought much of it in the beginning. His son and the Uchiha twins were always running off places and there were plenty of people milling about the main house to keep an eye on them. However, after five minutes without the usual ruckus they created, a paranoia had crept into the back of his mind. He knew it was irrational. Everyone else was going about the house as content and they'd always been and even though he plastered a smile on his face he could help but worry. Perhaps it was the recent loss of his parents that made him feel so frantic. He'd shaken the thought away and tried to stay engaged with the people around him. It wouldn't do for people to know just how anxious he'd become.

So he waited. Five minutes turned into fifteen, fifteen into a half hour, and now he found himself sprinting through the maze of covered awnings to find his son. He could only hope that they'd just gone to one of the cottages to play and not out in the woods somewhere. Naruto rounded a corner, careful not to slip on an icy patch of wood, and made his way towards Itachi's usual cottage. He was on gift wrapping duty this year and maybe the boys had gone to visit him to get an early peek at their gifts. If they weren't there he'd have to return to the main house and organize a search party. That was the last thing he wanted to do because it would worry Ino and stress was something she certainly didn't need right now-

"Daddy!" a little voice shouted, bolting around the corner and launching themselves at his midsection.

A feeling of relief washed over him as he picked up his son and placed him on his hip. His cheeks were a ruddy red and his nose definitely needed to be wiped but overall there was nothing wrong with him. He even had a coloring book in his hand which he could only assume had been pilfered from Itachi. With a shaky chuckle, he wiped the snotty nose with his gloved hand despite Ito's wiggles of protest.

"Daddy stop!" he whined.

"Hey Uncle Naruto!" another little voice called from down below.

Naruto looked down to see the Uchiha twins coming up the path. Hajime was all smiles, clutching his coloring book to his chest, while Hiroto looked like an angry little Sasuke. He stalked right past him without saying hello like his brother and a dark cloud hanging over his head.

"What's up with him?" Naruto asked in a loud whisper, stooping down to pick up the happier twin. He followed close behind Hiroto just to make sure that he didn't wander off elsewhere.

"He's mad because Uncle Chi and Aunt Hana didn't answer his questions." Hajime said as he clutched the front of Naruto's coat.

"And what questions are those?"

"Where babies come from."

Naruto nearly dropped both boys from his arms at the nonchalant statement but somehow managed to keep his composure. In front of him, Hiroto started grumble but he couldn't make out much of what he was saying outside of 'stupid' and 'riddles'.

"I don't think they even know." Hajime said, oblivious to Naruto's discomfort. "Father says Aunt Hana 'is too stubborn for reason'. I think that means she's not smart."

"My Daddy knows everything because he's the Hokage." Ito gushed. "Daddy where do babies come from?"

"Um well…" Naruto started, unsure of how to continue.

They were only five and he didn't think he'd have to deal with this question so early. In front of him, Hiroto had ceased his grumbling and was now slowing his pace so that he could listen in on their conversation. Ito pulled at his collar expectantly, eager for an answer from him and there wasn't much he could deny his son. With a sigh, Naruto adjusted the boys in his arms as he continued to walk. Sasuke was going to kill him for sure.

"Babies come from bellies." He explained.

"That doesn't make any sense." Hiroto quipped from below. "Aunt Hana says it takes two people. How can one baby come from two bellies?"

"Well it does take two people but only one belly-"

"A baby will come from my belly?" Ito asked and Naruto shook his head.

"Only girl bellies. Your mom grew to the size of a house when she had you."

"That's not fair! I want to get big too."

"If you keep sneaking potato chips out of the kitchen you will."

"But what about love?" Hajime interrupted. "Aunt Hana says that you have to have a lot a lot of love."

Naruto's left eye twitched.

"That's true." He said, hesitant to even continue the conversation but Hiroto had finally turned around and was looking up at him with inquisitive black eyes.

The elder Uzumaki picked up his speed towards the house. The last time he'd gotten really serious about finding an answer was when he wanted to know why the sky was blue. It had taken calling Shikamaru on the phone to explain the refraction of light to get the boy off of their backs. Not that he particularly understood the explanation because he fell asleep on the phone but he seemed to be satisfied afterward.  
When Hiroto wanted something he got it, especially when it came to answering his never-ending line of questions. The Hokage just wasn't equipped to handle this particular set at the moment. Hopefully, once they got inside the boys could be distracted by something else or a better person than him could take over.

"So you can't buy a baby?" Hiroto asked, his little feet picking up speed to keep up with Naruto's increasingly elongated strides.

"Well yes, I mean no. Sometimes."

"How does the baby get into the belly? Does it have to crawl up? Is it painful? Why does the baby have to live in a belly? Why only girl bellies?"

"Naruto!" Ino called from the back deck of the main house.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief at the sight of his wife waving at them, providing the escape he needed to get away from Hiroto's questions. He was nearly sprinting to the door for refugee, all along the way Hiroto kept spouting off rapid-fire questions. None of which he could answer of course but Ito and Hajime enjoyed his speed and encouraged him to go faster. He quickly reached the back door and Ino stared up at him suspiciously.

"Naruto," Ino said as she took Ito from his arms. "Everyone's been looking for you guys."

"Mommy, look what I got!" Ito said excitedly, shoving the coloring book under his mother's nose.

Ino shot him a pointed 'how the hell did he get this' look and all Naruto could do was smile and shrug. He put Hajime down on the deck, gently pushing towards the door, before turning back to see a frustrated Hiroto. With a resigned sigh, he knelt down in front of the pouting boy and placed a hand on top of his dark hair.

"You should ask your father these questions." Naruto said and Hiroto snorted.

"He's not going to answer."

"Well, you have a lot of questions. I'm sure he can answer at least some of them."

"So Father is smarter than you?"

Naruto's left eye twitched again and his smile faltered a bit. Never in life did he imagine that he'd have to concede something to his best friend and rival. He stiffly nodded his head and Hiroto's pout turned into a mischevious smirk.

"I knew it!" he said smugly and marched proudly into the house, more than likely in search of Sasuke.

There was obviously something about knowing his father was smarter than the Hokage that made the little Uchiha stand a little taller. Naruto smiled and straightened himself out before he followed the boy inside. Even though he had to falsely admit that his best friend knew more than him he couldn't help but feel pity for the man. Tonight was going to be a long night.

 **...**

 **December 24 2023 2:21pm**

 **Hyuuga Winter Estate- Main House Library**

 **...**

"I believe the quarterly earnings for this year ended well. We should start thinking about the expansion of some of the branches when the new year begins. Many of them are overworked as it is." Neji said pensively as he closed his manilla folder and tossed it onto the coffee table.

"HR has been hounding me about increasing hiring for a few weeks now. I guess we have to give in to them now." Sasuke sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose at the impending headache that came with thinking about his HR department.

"Our profit margins allow for an increase. Plus it will be good press to hire more workers."

"You Hyuugas and your image."

Neji smirked and leaned back against the couch.

"Image is everything."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the man and mentally cursed himself for doing so. It was a bad habit of his that the twins had picked up and they had no problem rolling their eyes at anyone. He didn't see it as a big deal but Hinata thought it was rude. He really had to watch himself now as his children got older. They were worse than sponges. Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder where they picked up their mannerisms or misguided information but every other day there was another 'bad behavior' fire he had to put out. He could only hope that the child Hinata was carrying was a girl because he would go insane if another troublesome boy came along.

"Knock, knock." A soft voice from the library doorway called. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything too important."

The Uchiha and Hyuuga looked up to see Hinata standing across the room with a soft smile on her face and a hand on the doorknob. Unconsciously he looked her up and down, mindful of the fact that he'd only just seen her a couple of hours ago but he could help himself. There was nothing special she had on. Only a pair of blue jeans and a bulky white cable knit sweater but he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Pregnancy suited her even though she wasn't showing much just yet.

"Not at all. Come in." Neji said, waving her over to where they were sitting. "We were just discussing an increase in hiring in the new year. What do you think?"

"Actually, Neji…" she started hesitantly as she approached them. "I'd like to speak with Sasuke alone."

Neji cocked his head to the side for a moment before giving his male companion a side eye. No matter how many years he and Hinata had been married he still didn't trust him completely. With a short huff, he got up from the couch and complied with Hinata's request for privacy. Once he'd left the room, Hinata took a seat next to him on the couch. She fiddled with her hands in her lap and chewed on her bottom lip, a sign that she didn't want to say what she had on her mind. He frowned and reached out to gently grip her chin with his forefinger and thumb. Slowly he turned her face so that she would look him directly in the eyes and was surprised. Her eyes weren't glassy the way he thought they'd be…the way he predicted they should be.

"Well?" he asked, running his thumb under her bottom lip to pull it away from her teeth.

"It went…poorly…"

 _…Hinata paused just outside of the door to her father's assigned cottage. It was the furthest away from all of the other, almost touching the tree line to the forest. Despite its separation it was just as well maintained as all of the others. Inside she knew that there would a be a fire burning, constantly tended to by diligent branch members. The floors had been polished no less than twice and brand new linens had been purchased to his liking. She knew how meticulously Neji had worked to get the cottage to the former head's liking but according to Tenten, he hadn't uttered a word of thanks. Not that Hinata or Neji expected him to but Tenten didn't appreciate his attitude._

 _Hinata sniffed as she recalled her best friend's rant about how ungrateful her father was. The words she said were true but sometimes it was too easy for Tenten to forget that Hiashi was her father. As such he still held a special place in her heart even though he'd closed himself off. Even though after five years he still didn't want anything to do with her. Frowning she lifted her fist up to knock on the door but paused just before her knuckles touched the wood._

 _Was she an idiot for even going through this trouble? Sasuke hadn't given voice to such a sentiment but she recognized the disapproving look in his eyes. Her father barely acknowledged his current grandchildren, it was a miracle that he even visited the hospital when Honoka was born. Why would he care about another grandchild being brought into the world? Another Uchiha at that… Maybe he wouldn't care. Maybe he would go on ignoring her and her sons like he always did. It didn't matter what he decided to do. All that mattered was that she at least put forth the effort to reach out to him, to make their family whole again. It's what her mother would have wanted._

 _The thought of her mother brought a bit more resolve to her spine and she raised her hand to knock once more. This time she didn't hesitate. It took a moment but she finally heard a muffled invitation to enter so she opened the door. Inside was dimly lit despite the fact that it was the middle of the day. All of the curtains had been drawn and the only light source in the room was the dying embers inside of the fireplace. Her father stood over the weak hearth, a glass half full of dark liquid in one hand and the other holding something she couldn't quite see._

 _"I thought I said I wasn't hungry." He father growled without looking up. Hinata gulped and took several steps further into the room._

 _"Father…it's me." She said and he turned his head._

 _His eyes stared back at her. Hard. Unfeeling. Just like they always were but there was something else that flashed in them when he'd initially looked up. The fear she'd seen only once before…a little over five years ago when she'd worn one of her mother's kimono. The look made her heart beat faster and she wanted desperately to avert her gaze elsewhere. Swiftly she crossed the room towards the fireplace and grabbed an iron poker from its stand and crouched down to stoke the fire back to life. It didn't take long to revive it and soon the room became brighter._

 _"Hinata." He said with a tongue that had not uttered her name in years. At least not to her own ears. "Have you come to deliver news?"_

 _"Father?" she replied._

 _Did he already know what she'd come to tell him? How was that possible? The only people they'd informed of her pregnancy were Fugaku and Mikoto and neither one of them were on speaking terms with her father. She and Sasuke_ _wanted to inform the rest of the family_ _as well but it didn't seem right without sharing the news with her father first._

 _"Your sister came by as well last night." He said flatly, his voice betraying no emotion. "She tended the fire the same as you although she got soot everywhere."_

 _H_ _inata smiled as she imagined Hanabi trying to perform a filial duty and not quite hitting the mark. Her sister excelled in most things but grace certainly wasn't her forte._

 _"Did you know she's been accepted to medical school?"_

 _Hinata's smile faltered and she slowly stood up from her crouched position. She'd known. She'd been the one to help her with her applications and one of the first people Hanabi had called with the news. Neji knew. Tenten knew. Hanabi had even called Sasuke to tell him that one day she'd be able to poison him if he kept being a jerk. The only other person that hadn't been informed was their father, a fact that clearly didn't sit right with him._

 _As her father brought his glass to his lips, an uneasy feeling settled into her stomach. He must have still expected Hanabi to join the company. Even after her repeated protests against the prospect her father had probably hoped that she would change her mind._  
 _"Of course you knew this already." He said, breaking Hinata from her thoughts. His lips twitched with the start of a grimace but he took another sip of his drink to keep his mask from cracking._

" _Yes."_

 _"You two used to be so easy to predict. There was a future for both of you that was something most little girls dream about yet you act as if it's the worst thing in the world."_

 _"Father. Hanabi worked really hard to get accepted and it's one of the best schools in the country. She deserves our support." Hinata replied and Hiashi polished off his drink._

 _"Deserve?" he growled, moving over to the shelf of drinks on the other side of the room. "What does it mean to be a Hyuuga?"_

 _"Duty to the cause. Honor what is right. Family above all else."_

 _The words tumbled off of her tongue easily without having to think about them. He filled his glass almost to the rim with expensive whiskey and took a large gulp before he'd even placed the bottle back on the shelf._

 _"And where in that does it say what one deserves?"_

 _"Nowhere." She replied, her eyes narrowing despite herself. "If she is happy does it really matter what a century old motto say?"_

 _"I do not have the patience for your insolence today. What is your news?" he snapped. Hinata bristled at his tone but stamped down her irritation. Keeping her eyes on her father, she held her head high with the pride of the Uchiha she'd become._

 _"I just wanted to tell you that I'm pregnant."_

 _Her words hung heavy in the air and her father's eyes narrowed. Slowly he returned to her perch by the fireplace, tearing his eyes away from her to glare at the flames._

 _"He's turned you into a broodmare."…_

…"A broodmare? A fucking broodmare?" Sasuke spat, jumping to his feet.

He was no longer able to sit through his wife's recounting of her conversation with her father. It was one thing when Hiashi made jabs at him but an entirely different situation when that venom was turned towards something he cared about.

"Stop." she said firmly, grabbing his wrist and pulling him back to the couch.

"Hinata let me go."

"No." she said softly with a sad smile on her lips. "He drunk and asleep in his bed now. There's no point."

Sasuke frowned at the information and glanced down at the watch on his wrist. It wasn't even five yet and the former Hyuuga head was already passed out drunk. Despite the disdain, he held for the resentful man he couldn't help but pity him.

"Why did you go to him? What was the point?" Sasuke asked, sinking back down onto the couch with a sigh.

Hinata smiled at him and scooted closer so that she could rest her head on his shoulder.

"Because we will make mistakes too. We will say or do the wrong thing and think it's right. We will want what we think is best but it might not be the reality our children wish for. One day we will be old and stubborn and I hope that our children will still reach out to us." She said. "Maybe one day he'll come around."

"We don't need his acceptance."

"No…but that doesn't mean we stop caring."

Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. His wife was too forgiving for her own good. No matter how many times people hurt her she still kept reaching out to them with that same genuine smile. It was because of that gentle nature that he fell in love with her. He turned his head to press a frustrated kiss on the top of her head and she leaned closer into his side.

He didn't understand her. When someone slighted him that was it. He didn't believe in second chances. Hinata, on the other hand, believed in fifth and sixth chances. It was no wonder Neji was so protective of her because she never protected herself. At least now that her father had been informed they would be free to tell the rest of the family the news of a new addition after the Christmas holidays had passed. Once Hinata actually started getting visibly larger they would tell the twins-

"Father!" a faint voice yelled from down the hall. "Father!"

Sasuke groaned and buried his face in the crook of Hinata's neck. His wife giggled at his impending doom and the end of their peace together. The reaction only further served to confirm that his wife was crazy. She wasn't there when Hiroto asked what a shadow was or how fish breathed underwater. Somehow she managed to escape Hiroto's hardest questions and was instead offered monster checking duty and ensuring that the twins didn't drown themselves during bath time. Anytime she was presented with an obscure question, like where the sky ended, she could distract their son effectively enough that the next poor soul was subjected to having to answer. Not only was his wife crazy but she created terrible children. As Hiroto marched up to the couch, he pressed a hand against the slight bulge hidden underneath Hinata's sweater and prayed that their next child wasn't psychotic.

"He's in here!" she yelled back and little feet scrambled down the hall.

"Hinata." He whined but she only giggled.

"Finally!" Hiroto exclaimed breathlessly popping into the doorway.

Peeking through his wife's hair he watched as his second son marched into the small library with his chest puffed out and a fierce determination in his eyes. Mentally Sasuke groaned. When Hiroto had that look on his face it could only mean one thing. He had a question and he wouldn't stop until he got an answer that satisfied him.

"Uncle Naruto say that you're smarter than he is." Hiroto exclaimed as he placed crossed his arms over his chest,

Sasuke frowned at the declaration. Naruto saying he was 'smarter' was a red flag. Whatever Hiroto was asking was something not even he could answer. He'd known Naruto for a majority of his life and there was no way he would admit to not knowing something willingly. Hinata shifted away from him slightly as their son climbed up onto his lap.

"Father, where do babies come from?"

 ** _To be continued..._**

 **S is for Concessions**

 _There wasn't much in this world that he was able to deny her..._


	19. S is for Concessions

**CCNote: Happy Thursday! Here's the newest installment! Don't forget to leave a REVIEW! They are what motivate me to keep writing this for free lol! Keep in mind that this is unbeta'd so its rough. I'll probably go back and clean some shit up when the story is finished. Enjoy!**

 **S is for Concessions**

 **Monday May 27, 2021 11:45am**

 **Hakone Resort and Hot Springs**

… **...**

"Are you going to keep staring at me or are you going to find something else to occupy your time?" Itachi sighed as he flipped to a new page in his book.

Not that he'd actually read the previous page nor would he read any subsequent. It wasn't that the book wasn't interesting. Tales about covert operations and spy novels were always his favorites. However, it was difficult to focus on the words on the page when a certain young woman kept glaring daggers at him.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me why I can't go on dates." She huffed indignantly.

Itachi glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She was facing him with her arms crossed and a not so happy look on her face. She was clearly frustrated with his new mandate, not that he had placed many conditions on their time together in the first place. Be back by sundown. Stay out of trouble. Those were the only rules he placed on her during their summer trips and he had lifted the sundown rule when she turned twenty. She was allowed to come and go and she pleased. If she had the desire to stay out all night he trusted she wouldn't end up hurt, that he knew for sure. If anything, if someone gave her trouble they would be the ones to end up in the hospital. However, she always returned by sunset so he never had any need to worry. No, her safety was the last thing he had to be concerned with.

"Itachi!" she snapped, drawing him out of his thoughts.

Swiftly she snatched the book he was pretending to read out of his hands and brought it close to her chest. Itachi sighed and held his hand out for her to return his possession. The Hyuuga bit her bottom lip but shook her head at the request.

"You're not getting it back until you tell me why."

"Hanabi." He sighed. "You're under my care right now. If something were to happen to you, Neji would kill me-"

"You and I both know you're not afraid of anyone let alone Neji. If I want to go out with someone I can do so without your permission."

Itachi frowned as she got up from the couch and stood in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest. The position effectively forced him to look at her which was the last thing he wanted to do.

"You don't even know that boy yet you're pretty adamant about going on a date with him." He deflected and Hanabi clicked her tongue.

"The whole purpose of a date is to get to know someone. You wouldn't know that though since you haven't been on one in years."

The Uchiha rolled his eyes and leaned back against the couch.

"You're not with me twenty-four seven." He said and to his surprise, her eyes narrowed.

"You're lying."

Itachi smirked and crossed his own arms to mirror her suspicious expression. He wasn't lying. Hanabi was only with him consecutively two months out of the year. Of course, he'd found the company of others in her absence. He'd been on a few dates whenever he was feeling strong enough. Sometimes it led to more but the encounters never lasted long. He always had somewhere else to be and didn't feel the need to attach himself to others. The baggage he carried was not a burden he wished to share. That and the fact that he lost interest quickly in all of the women he'd encountered thus far.

"Do you really believe that I am so inept that I can't get a date?" he asked and Hanabi's eyes widened. "Do I appear feeble?"

Her cheeks turned pink for a moment before she looked away, mumbling something under her breath that he couldn't quite make out. The Uchiha smirked and leaned forward to take his book back from her. Her blush receded as she relinquished the book but she still wouldn't look at him.

"Well if you can go on dates then so can I." she said causing his irritation to spike once more.

"No."

"Why?"

Why? Why was a good question. Hanabi could certainly handle herself so someone taking advantage of her wasn't likely. There was also the added factor that her last name held so much weight it kept many lesser men away from her. However the idea of her on a date, especially that curly haired loud mouth from before, just didn't sit right with him. Her shoulders slumped as he continued to remain silent, the defiant look on her face slipping away. That look, he decided, was not something he wanted to be responsible for. There wasn't much in this world that he would be able to deny her.

"Fine." He sighed, tossing his book onto the couch. He wasn't going to be able to concentrate on reading it anyway.

"So I can go on a date?" she prodded, a mischevious smile spreading over her features.

Itachi frowned but said nothing as he stood up from the couch to head over to his room. Absently he brought his hand up to the center of his chest. An unfamiliar tension mingled within.

"Where do you think you're going?" the Hyuuga asked just as he reached out to open the door to his room. "You said I can go on a date right?"

"Yes, Hanabi." He said flatly, pushing open his door to get away from her.

"Well then let's go."

The Uchiha turned around slowly, unsure of whether he understood correctly what she was trying to get at. She smirked, hands on her hips and her head cocked slightly to the side.

"Do you think I can actually go on a date with that guy after what happened at breakfast? It would be too embarrassing. You must take responsibility.

…

 **Monday May 27, 2021 1:05pm**

 **Hakone Resort and Hot Springs**

… **...**

There were many things Hanabi knew that she didn't want. She didn't want to wake up in the morning because getting out of bed was more of a hassle than it was worth. She didn't want to explain the exorbitant amounts of money she spent on take out every month to Neji when her account statements inevitably floated across his desk. She didn't want to visit her advisor every semester who had a stick shoved so far up her ass she couldn't sit properly. Yes, there were many things she didn't want but at the top of the list was Itachi being with another woman.

It was odd to think of him around other women in that way. She briefly tried to pair him and Izumi together a few years ago for her own immature reasons. At the time it had seemed like an amusing match but now she was happy that they hadn't worked out. Was it wrong of her to be happy about that? She took amusement in the Uchiha's avoidance of the opposite sex when she was around yet what happened when she wasn't? What happened when she was no longer by his side? One day he might take her teasing to get a girlfriend to heart. One day she wouldn't be the only one by his side.

Hanabi frowned as she and Itachi walked slowly through the tiny snow-covered village, her eyes narrowing as a gaggle of teenage girls followed auspiciously behind them. Those girls weren't anything Itachi would be interested in but clearly, he had been with _other,_ more appealing women. What sort of women did Itachi like? How long would it be before their adventures would involve a third party? Just the thought of another woman coming along made Hanabi shuffle closer to Itachi, slipping her hand into his for comfort. Another woman coming along meant that she would have to share and that was something that she just wouldn't do. Absently she shivered at the idea.

"Are you cold?" Itachi asked, breaking her from her thoughts. "Hanabi?"

His voice made all coherent thoughts fly right out of her mind and bringing her back to the dream she had last night. Her name had tumbled from his lips the exact same way…The Hyuuga blushed and shook her head, letting go of his hand in the process. Why was she being so weird? Dark eyes looked at her worriedly, no doubt assuming there was something wrong. He wouldn't be incorrect in that assumption though. There _was_ something wrong. Something terribly, terribly wrong.

"Come on." She said, forcing a smile on her face and her not so innocent thoughts to the back of her mind. "Let's go try some of the food stalls!"

The worried look in his eyes remained but his shoulders relaxed a bit at her diversion.

"You're hungry? You just had breakfast." He said and Hanabi stuck her tongue out at him.

"I didn't have much of an appetite this morning but now I do."

Itachi shook his head and allowed her to drag him down a side street where the food stalls were teeming with patrons. The smell of fried foods mixed with the crisp snowy air and was enough to ease some of her nerves. This may be a 'date' to make up for the one Itachi had shot down earlier but there was no reason for her to feel so nervous. She and Itachi had spent plenty of time alone together over the last few years. This outing was no different.

Her dream from last night was just that, a dream, and one day she _would_ have to share Itachi. However, as they weaved through the crowd with newly purchased hot chocolate, that day wasn't today. Resolute in her thoughts, she slipped her free hand back into his and prattled on as easily as she always had. There was too much going on in the village to remain focused on her own thoughts anyhow.

The rest of their 'date' went off without a hitch. They'd tried almost everything the food stalls had to offer, much to their stomachs protest. It almost felt like she'd eaten her weight in fried noodles and kabobs but it was well worth it. Once they'd finished with the food stalls they popped in and out of the eclectic shops the small town had to offer, picking up various gifts to give to their family when they eventually returned to Konoha.

As the sun began to set over the village, the pair headed back towards the skylift station that had brought them up the mountain earlier. The line was fairly short since most of the crowds had left earlier to beat the sunset. The sky lift carriers were made almost entirely out of glass so most patrons still wanted to see the icy winding river and snow-capped trees before darkness swallowed them up. Hanabi didn't mind though. She was beyond tired after walking around all day and wouldn't be able to enjoy the view anyway. At least with the crowds gone, it meant that she and Itachi would be able to get a lift to themselves.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Itachi asked as one of the sky lift attendants opened the door to an empty carriage.

"It was okay I guess." Hanabi sighed, trying to sound blasé but unable to keep a smile off of her face. "I wish we were able to visit again before we have to leave."

She stepped into the small glass carriage and took a seat on the middle bench, leaning back against the cold wall behind her. Itachi took a seat next to her and once they were settled in the attendant closed the carriage door and waved them off.

"We can always come back another summer." Itachi said and Hanabi absently bit her bottom lip.

How many more summers were they going to be able to come back? One? Maybe two? She was shaken from her thoughts when a gloved hand reached up and turned her chin so that she would face him.

"You've been distracted all day." He said and Hanabi gulped.

Outside of the lift, the sky changed from a vibrant orange to saturated blue, the likes of which should have had her full attention. Yet she couldn't focus on anything. Not with Itachi staring at her intensely with a look in his eyes she couldn't quite place.

His face was so close…too close. His proximity made her heart beat faster, the sensation alarming her more than she cared to admit. The last time her heart had sped up like this so many years ago, another man had been the culprit. Konohamaru's touch felt like a distant memory and was merely a point of reference to the intense sensations she was now experiencing. Why was her body reacting like this?

"I'm fine." She said finally, unconsciously leaning closer to him.

"Good." He smirked as he let go of her chin and leaned away.

… **.**

 **Friday, June 8, 2021 5:01pm**

 **Tokai Mountains**

… **...**

"Hey! About time you two showed up!"

"We would have been here faster but someone decided to sleep in this morning."

Hanabi frowned, petulantly crossing her arms over her chest as Kisame laughed at Itachi's statement. It was all Itachi's fault she didn't get any sleep last night. Well, not the _real_ Itachi but dream Itachi had appeared in her dreams again and this time even more vividly. The dream had shaken her so thoroughly that she was unable to get back to sleep for hours. Since sleep had been elusive yet again she pulled out some of her test prep books and studied until she could no longer keep her eyes open. By then she'd been so exhausted that she slept through her alarm. An alarm which she never usually needed to use during the summer since she was supposed to be sleeping in Itachi's bed but he wouldn't let her. So essentially it _was_ all Itachi's fault.

"Well, I'm just glad you were able to make it." Konan smiled as they entered the house.

Hanabi pushed past Itachi to wrap her arms around the somber woman. It always felt like an eternity since she'd last seen her and she really needed someone to talk to. Someone that wasn't Itachi or her own thoughts which had been running rampant lately. She couldn't call Hinata, it would be way too awkward to talk about her brother in law to her. Tenten was a viable third party option but anything she said to Tenten would eventually get back to Neji. If Neji got even the slightest hint of her conflicted feelings about Itachi he'd be on the next flight out to drag her back to Konoha.

"Oh, my!" Konan chuckled as she returned Hanabi's embrace. "Have you missed me that much?"

"Now this is fucking hot." A pervy voice called from behind the women. "Don't stop on my account. I was beginning to get bored looking at all of these fuckers. Now I have something more interesting to watch."

"You're such a perv Hidan." Hanabi snapped, breaking away from Konan to glare at the white-haired man. He was unintimidated by her glare. Choosing instead to grin broadly as he pensively rubbed his chin.

"It's been awhile, hasn't it? Let's see how you've grown over the last year. What are they feeding kids in school nowadays?"

Hanabi blushed and zipped her coat up all the way to keep Hidan's lecherous eyes away. There wasn't much for him to look at anyway but it was the principle of the matter. The guy had zero filter which was amusing at times and downright weird at others.

"Stop being such a perv and help us get their suitcases up to their room." Kisame snorted before heading upstairs himself.

Hidan grumbled but complied with Kisame's command, muttering curses under his breath the entire time.

"What the hell do you have in here? Fucking rocks?"

Hanabi smiled for a moment as she watched Hidan and Kisame disappear up the stairs but her joy was short lived. They were carrying the suitcases up to _their_ room. Her first summer here had been spent sleeping in Itachi's room most nights. Eventually, all of her stuff had ended up in there and the room she'd been assigned to was forgotten about. Every year after that it had just been assumed that she was staying with him and it hadn't been a problem…until now.

"Actually Konan…" Itachi started, and Hanabi stiffened next to him. "I need my own room. If it isn't too much trouble."

Konan cocked her head to the side, a curious blue eyebrow raising at the request. Hanabi averted the older woman's gaze and tried to ignore the fact that her cheeks felt as if they were on fire.

"It's no trouble at all. This house used to be an orphanage so we have more rooms than we know what to do with. We just need to air out one of them first."

"Thank you."

Konan then started to climb the stairs and Itachi followed close behind her but Hanabi remained on the first floor. She didn't want to know which room Itachi would be staying in. She didn't want to think about sleeping in her own bed…alone.

"Has Itachi gotten tired of his precious firecracker already?" a bored voice drolled next to her.

Hanabi narrowed her eyes at the owner and sniffed. Sasori stood next to her, slightly slouched and facing the stairwell. Inwardly Hanabi cursed herself for allowing someone to creep up on her. She really needed to stop thinking so much.

"It's not like that." Hanabi replied.

"Really? That's not what it's looked like to me." Sasori said with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. "I suppose Itachi _would_ be one to not become tempted by a girl in his bed."

"Itachi's not weird like the rest of you."

"Hmmm that begs the question though…why is he kicking you out? Has he found a real girlfriend now instead of a witch?"

Hanabi frowned and tore her eyes away from Sasori. She'd only been in the house for less than an hour and he had already struck a nerve. That wasn't anything new though. Sasori always got on her nerves.

"Who Itachi wants to 'share a bed' with is none of your concern." She snapped.

"But it is _yours_." The redhead countered.

"Shut up Sasori." Hanabi hissed, struggling to keep her temper under control.

"If you get scared of the dark tonight, you can always come sleep with me. I'll leave the light on for you-"

"Pft. You couldn't pay me enough. Where's Deidra? We've got work to do."

"You've wounded me little firecracker." Sasori smirked, finally tearing his eyes away from the stairs to look at her. "He's in the study. I must warn you though. He's more than a little excited about your plan."

A smile spread across the Hyuuga's face as she turned on her heel towards the study. Sasori shoved his hands into his pockets and lazily followed her through the house. They only had twenty-four hours to put her plan in action. If they had any chance of getting it done right they would all need a bit of Deidra's enthusiasm. Quickly she found the door to the study and entered the room. Almost immediately dozens of balloons spilled out of the room and into the hallway, the muffled cries of Deidra for them to shut the door accompanying their escape.

"I told you he was too excited." Sasori grumbled, kicking a balloon back into the room. Hanabi smirked and shook her head.

"This is going to be perfect!"

… **.**

 **Saturday, June 9, 2021 9:10am**

 **Tokai Mountains**

… **...**

"Hanabi." Itachi called through the door.

He'd been knocking for the last three minutes but the girl had yet to come to the door. This was the third morning that he had to rouse her out of bed. Hanabi didn't rise with the sun like he did but she wasn't one to sleep in either. What was she doing at night that kept her up so late? He frowned and twisted the doorknob, happy to find that she'd left it unlocked.

"Hanabi." He said as he entered her room.

Hanabi was still sleeping, of course, a messy tangle of limbs and sheets in the middle of her bed. Itachi shook his head at the way she clutched her pillow close her chest and mumbled incoherently in her sleep. There was no way she was going to wake up on her own and be ready in time for them to head in town with everyone. The fact that they were even leaving as a group puzzled him to no end since they usually stay in the house. Getting up and down the mountainous terrain took almost an hour but Deidra had been adamant about leaving. Hanabi had also seemed excited about the prospect of going into town so it was a surprise to see her still sleeping.

He shook his head at the sleeping girl before turning his attention to the explosion of clothing that was scattered all over her room. With a huff, he started picking up what he could and tossing them back into her suitcase. If Konan saw the damage Hanabi had already done to the room she might just faint. As he picked up Hanabi's things, he noticed that there were more of his t-shirts mixed in with her own clothing than he'd realized she'd stolen. He shook his head again as he picked one of his favorite black t-shirts up from the floor and tossed it into her suitcase. He knew he should be irritated with Hanabi's theft but somehow he was unbothered.

It only took a few more minutes to get all of Hanabi's clothing back into the suitcase but none of his rustling around had managed to wake her up. With a sigh, he approached her bed to try to awaken her once more.

"Hanabi." He said, reaching out to shake her shoulder but pausing when something odd caught his eye on her bed stand.

A book, rather thick and incredibly worn, was lying open on the table. Hanabi wasn't one to read. If it wasn't for school she'd rather burn a book than read it. Curious, he picked the book up and flipped it over to the front. 2022 Medical College Admission Test Prep. The Uchiha's brow furrowed as he reread the title over and over again. Hanabi? A doctor? Since when did she decide she wanted to take that path in her life? Why?

"Mmmm." Hanabi moaned in her sleep and rolled over onto her back. "More."

Itachi stiffened as she moaned softly again, drawing his eyes to her sleeping body. She'd let go of the pillow she'd been cuddling which allowed him an unencumbered view of her chest rising and falling steadily. The black t-shirt she'd stolen from him was pushed halfway up her stomach, her skin unblemished and smooth all the way to the waistband of her ill-fitting pajama bottoms which hung low on her hips.

"Please." She whimpered and rolled over onto her side, turning her back to him.

The sound of her voice heightened his arousal and made him back away from the side of her bed. What was she dreaming about that made her sound so…needy? Itachi cursed under his breath as he tried to mentally will his arousal away but it wasn't working so well.

He had to get out of the room before he did something he regretted. Deidra was just going to have to wait for Hanabi to wake up on her own. Quickly the Uchiha made to exit the small room but was halted by movement on the bed.

"Itachi?" Hanabi mumbled, her voice full of fatigue as the bed creaked from her sitting upright. "What are you doing here?"

Itachi paused, gripping the doorknob so tightly that his knuckles were beginning to turn white. He had to get out of this room.

"I came to wake you." He said with a practiced calm.

"Oh…okay" she said hesitantly. "Did I…did you…never mind. I'll be ready in a minute."

Seizing the opportunity to escape, he opened the door quickly and shut it behind him. Once the door was firmly closed, Itachi leaned back against it and took a deep breath. The uncomfortable warmth that had been stirring inside of him refused to dissipate just yet and further served to remind him of just how wrong he was. Inside of the room, he could hear Hanabi inexplicably screaming obscenities into her pillow.

… **.**

 **Saturday, June 9, 2021 4:01pm**

 **Tokai Mountains**

… **...**

"Now get the eggs and butter out of the fridge. We need to get them up to room temperature before we start." Konan instructed as Hanabi finished tying her apron around her waist.

"Got it!" Hanabi replied as she pulled the apron strings tight and complied with Konan's request.

She quickly opened the fridge and pulled out the items needed and placed them on the kitchen island where the rest of their baking materials resided. Hanabi had never thought of herself as very 'domestic' before. Whatever she needed was always taken care of by the branch members that served in the main house or by her older sister and cousin. In fact, the first time she'd washed clothes the 'old fashioned way' was her first trip with Itachi. It wasn't until she lived alone in the dorms that she actually had to use a machine. She didn't cook and she certainly didn't clean but there was a first time for everything. Especially when today was such an important day! Resolute in her efforts to make the day perfect, Hanabi turned to Konan for her next set of directions.

"My you're a ball of energy today." Konan chuckled softly, arranging the metal mixing bowls in front of her. "I thought you'd lose some of your steam after decorating."

Hanabi smirked and shook her head. The living room was covered in multicolored streamers and balloons. Every surface had a healthy smattering of confetti and glitter. The color scheme was a bit odd since she and Deidra couldn't decide on only one color, this led them to settle for every color, but Hanabi was satisfied with it. No matter what the living room looked like she knew Itachi would be surprised.

"Today is important. I can't get tired just yet!" she said and Konan smiled.

"Alright. We have about two hours before everyone returns. I don't believe Deidra will be able to make up enough excuses to keep them in town much longer."

"Crap!" Hanabi hissed at the prediction. They'd barely been able to come up with a flimsy excuse to get Itachi out of the house. "I haven't wrapped the presents!"

All of Itachi's birthday gifts had been locked in the study with the rest of the party decorations. The other men had 'wrapped' their own gifts already but their efforts were abysmal. Kisame had even wrapped his present in crumpled newspaper and that just wasn't going to fly in Hanabi's opinion.

"I can do it." Konan said, untying her own apron. "Just follow the recipe card and I'll be back quickly."

Hanabi nodded her head stiffly and flashed Konan a grateful smile. She really should have been wrapping presents last night instead of studying but at least the other woman was there to help. As Konan disappeared from the kitchen, Hanabi turned her attention to all of the ingredients laid out on the kitchen island. The sight was a bit daunting but how hard could it be to bake a cake?

Sasuke baked and the cinnamon rolls she managed to steal whenever he made them always turned out pretty good. If Sasuke could do it, so could she. Plus cakes were simple. According to the recipe card, all she had to do was dump stuff into a bowl and throw it into the oven. With that thought in mind, she started measuring out her flour as she read over the recipe card's instructions.

"This isn't so hard." Hanabi said, putting the bag of flour down on the counter before pushing the recipe card away.

Sugar, flour, salt, cocoa….it was all easy enough. She didn't need to keep reading the card. It didn't take long for her to mix all of the ingredients together, although cracking an egg was a lot harder than Sasuke had made it look, and soon her cake was ready to go into the oven. It was messier work than she'd expected but it wasn't anything she wasn't able to handle. Just as she was setting the metal dish into the oven, Konan walked back into the kitchen with a cell phone in her hand.

"Deidra just called. Hidan got into a verbal altercation with a store clerk so they are making their way back up the mountain before the police are called. They're going to be here soon." Konan said, looking around nervously at her now messy kitchen. "Wow. You're done already?"

"Yep! Baking is easy." Hanabi said smugly, wiping her hands off on the front of her apron.

"Well, I'm sure it's going to taste delicious. Itachi will be pleased."

Hanabi blushed at Konan's statement, quickly turning away in hopes that she wouldn't notice. Thinking about the word 'pleased' and Itachi brought back the utter embarrassment she'd felt that morning when he'd come to wake her up. He didn't say anything about the incident during breakfast. In fact, he was the last one to the table and sat as far away from her as possible. When she'd made her excuse to not join the group going into town he didn't say anything.

It wasn't like she was able to meet his eyes anyway if he were to actually look at her. Just thinking about him now flushed her entire body, making it difficult to focus on little else. It was maddening how contradictory the feeling was and she wasn't quite sure how to resolve it. She wanted to talk to Konan about her feelings but she had no idea where to begin. It was much too awkward to admit that she developing urges towards her brother in law.

"Well, he better be." She mumbled, shaking her confusing thoughts away. "It's taken a lot of effort."

"Not as much effort as school though. How is that going by the way? It'll be your senior year this fall right?"

"Yea! I kind of can't believe how fast time has gone by." Hanabi replied and started helping Konan clean up the ruined kitchen. Gathering the multiple broken eggs shells off of the counter into a bowl and tossed them into the trash.

"Time always seems to be that way." Konan sighed as she gathered up the mixing bowls and placed them into the sink. "I suppose you will be heading back to your family's company after graduation?"

"Actually…no."

Hanabi placed the bowl that formerly held the eggshells onto the counter next to the sink as Konan turned on the faucet. She waited for the shock of rejecting her familial duty to register with the woman. She was the first person she'd even broached the decision with but Konan didn't seem to care at all. She just started washing the dishes.

"You're not going to ask me a million questions?" Hanabi prodded and Konan looked up from the dishes to flash her a small smile.

"Am I supposed to?"

"Everyone else does."

"Well, I'm not everyone else." Konan shrugged, turning back to scrubbing. "You will do what you think is best for your future. No one else will be able to make those decisions for you. That's what Nagato believed."

The Hyuuga let out a breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding. Konan was right of course. At the end of the day, she was the one that had to be satisfied with her life, no one else. Her older sister was the living embodiment of that fact. Hinata was all but disowned by their father. A few years ago that was something that would have devastated Hinata, she would have done almost anything to get his approval. Now, however, she seemed perfectly happy with her role as Uchiha matriarch and the twins. It was a life the Hyuuga elders and their father disapproved of but Hinata was satisfied.

'If Hinata can do it, so can I.' Hanabi thought to herself.

To become a doctor. It was an unorthodox choice that she'd made for her future. She was certain that her father wouldn't approve since becoming a doctor took her out of the running for negotiating with other companies or making a fortunate marriage. What powerful company would allow their child to marry someone who spent all day in scrubs? She would be of no use to them financially and would possess very little influence when it came to company matters.

Becoming a doctor wasn't an uncommon profession within her clan but it was a path mostly taken by lower branch members who weren't chosen to work for the company in some capacity but Hanabi couldn't think of anything else she'd rather do. There was nothing else that felt like more of a challenge or more rewarding. It wasn't something that she had previously seen herself doing but seeing how hard the doctors and nurses had worked on Itachi last winter had sparked an interest in her.

When school resumed she'd done more research into becoming a doctor than she ever had for her usual coursework. She went to every medical school presentation that was offered and signed up for MCAT prep courses to on top of her usual class load. Despite how daunting of a task it would be to become a doctor Hanabi just couldn't see herself doing anything else. She knew she wouldn't be satisfied elsewhere. Pushing papers or becoming a wealthy man's wife just weren't in her cards and she probably wouldn't be very good at those things anyway.

Hanabi smirked as she recalled the barely contained horror of the Senju family the night Konohamaru had brought her to dinner with them. Hinata had done an excellent job at making her look like a 'lady' but her own personality had managed to shine through the veneer. They'd swallowed their shock though at how un-Hyuuga like she was and at the time she'd believed that it was for Konohamaru's sake. However, their 'tolerance' had been paid for through her father's manipulations and that was something she just couldn't stand for. The Hyuuga shook her head at the memory as she wiped down the countertop from all of the excess flour she'd spilled.

Her relationship with Konohamaru seemed like so long ago. It used to be that every time she thought about him her heart felt like it was break. Now…she felt nothing. It was odd. At seventeen she couldn't wait to sneak out of the compound to spar with him. To walk around the town when everyone was sleeping and relish not having people look at them. It hurt to let go of someone who didn't see her last name first but the price of keeping him was not one she was willing to pay.

Now there was news of his recent engagement to Moegi, a prominent debutant in her own right and the daughter of a powerful family abroad. Their engagement photos had been centerfolds in the trashy gossip magazines her roommates had purchased and gushed over in their shared living room. They lamented how lucky Moegi was. How beautiful the ostentatiously huge diamond ring was. How much money would be spent on such a wedding? At that question, Hanabi could only snort. More money than her roommates could ever hope to make in a year would likely be spent on the occasion. Konohamaru was the sole male heir after all. The Senju would not be ones to cut corners on such an event.

It was a wedding that would be talked about well after it was over and would likely set trends for the following wedding season among the rich and powerful. Everything would be picked apart and analyzed. From the centerpieces to the catering to the dress. It was a spotlight that had been meant for her but somehow she was glad she hadn't taken up the mantel. Maybe she could have been happy taking over her family's company and marrying into a rich family. Her father had certainly thought she would be. Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she doubted just how satisfied she'd be with such a life. A life that didn't belong to her and her alone was not one she wanted.

Hanabi smiled to herself, pausing briefly in her task of wiping down the counters. This was the start of a life that she had chosen and there was no need to deny herself the things she wanted. Just that possibility alone made a warmth swell within her and made her resume cleaning the kitchen with a renewed vigor.

… **.**

 **Saturday, June 9, 2021 6:00pm**

 **Tokai Mountains**

… **...**

Itachi rubbed his temples with the pads of his fingers, hoping against all odds that Hidan would stop ranting. It was a futile dream. He'd learned very well over the years that they'd spent together that the man was a verbal volcano that never yielded. Kisame, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the tirades Hidan went on and sometimes went out of his way to make the man erupt. At times, Itachi found it remarkable that he'd remained friends with these men for so long.

"That fucking cock swallowing cunt had the nerve to threaten me?! Me! Ha!" Hidan cursed incessantly before Kakuzu smacked the back of his head.

"Quit you're complaining." The gruff older man snarled. "We are finally back and I'm sick of hearing this. You're lucky the cops hadn't shown up yet."

"Lucky?! I'm lucky? They're the lucky ones. Why if I had my tools with me I'd-"

"Sacrifice them to your all-powerful lord and savior Jashin." Kisame offered and Hidan enthusiastically pumped his fist into the air.

"Exactly. That bitch was lucky I wasn't prepared." He exclaimed and the rest of the men shook their heads at his antics as they walked up the gravel pathway.

Itachi didn't really care about who or what would be sacrificed to Jashin today. All he wanted to do was visit Nagato's grave and perhaps finally read a chapter in his book. He eagerly followed the others up to the front door, more than grateful that their time out together had come to an end.

"Itachi." Sasori's monotonous voice called from just a few paces back.

Yakihito and Kakuzu moved past the Uchiha as he turned around to see what the youngest male member in their group wanted. He'd never spent much one on one time with the male so it was odd that he would even call out to him.

"Yes?" Itachi asked as the front door closed behind the last of their companions.

"Hanabi's graduating next spring." He said flatly.

"Yes."

"You two are not together."

Itachi's lips pursed together in a flat line, unappreciative of the direction this conversation was going. The man before him tilted his head slightly to the side and shoved his hands into his coat pockets.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Lazily, Sasori walked past him and into the house, leaving the Uchiha alone with nothing but trees for companions. His fingers curled into fists as Sasori's words replayed in his mind.

 _Hanabi is graduating_ _next spring…_

Yes…yes she was. This was likely the last summer she would have free to spend with him in this way. He'd come to look forward to their summers together but now…all of that would come to an end. The finality of it all didn't quite sit right with him. What had started as a way for Hanabi to get some direction in her life had created unwanted side effects upon him. He'd intended to finish out whatever remaining years he had in solitude. Travelling and seeing the world in a capacity that would not be afforded to him if he were to take up the role of Uchiha head.

It had been his birthright to lead his clan but it was not something he would be able to handle. The stress alone would have hastened the deterioration of his body and it wasn't like he had that many years left anyway. Statistically speaking he was edging ever closer and closer to his end the day he turned thirty. He had already been pushing his limits when he'd finally handed the company and the clan over to Sasuke.

With that kind of mortality in mind, what did it matter that he and Hanabi would not have another summer like this? It wasn't like she would no longer be in his life, they were family after all. She undoubtedly had her own ideas for where she wanted her life to lead if the test prep book in her room was anything to go by. Where did that leave him in the equation?

 _You two are not together…._

Hanabi was no longer the skinny seventeen-year-old girl he'd met all those years ago. She'd grown and matured, each summer returning to him more beautiful than the last. This summer, in particular, seemed to have peeked more male interest in her than any other. Of course, he couldn't keep her all to himself forever. It was also only a matter of time before she found someone that she liked. She'd spend more than just summers with that man, she'd spend the rest of her life with him. That was the way it was supposed to be.

She was meant to be happy, have children, and grow old with someone at her side. That, someone, was not him. He couldn't give her children. He wouldn't be able to grow old with her. All he'd bring her was sadness when one day he would no longer be apart of her life. Leaving her alone to pick up the pieces was the last thing he wanted to do. In essence, he was simply waiting to die. He didn't her to wait with him.

Slowly his fingers uncurled themselves from the tight fist they were in, arms hung limply at his side. An uncomfortable tension settled in the middle of his chest. The tightening and curling reminded him once again of why he'd sought out the solitude of living alone in the first place. It reminded him of the fact that he'd failed to stop himself from creating an attachment. It was a physical manifestation of his own greed. His own selfish need to bind himself to a person he shouldn't have. A person he couldn't have…

"Is he fucking coming? Oi! Itachi!" Kisame called out from the from the front door, breaking the silence of the forest.

Itachi closed his eyes and took a deep breath, ensuring that his outward appearance didn't reflect the discomfort he was currently feeling. Casually he turned back towards the house and Kisame motioned lazily for him to walk faster.

"You'd think that since I don't work for you anymore I wouldn't have to fetch you." The man smirked and opened the door wide enough to let the Uchiha through.

Surprising the inside of the foyer was dark despite the fact that everyone had arrived back to the house. He didn't think much of it though and felt around for the panel of light switches next to the door. As soon as the lights came on, the room was illuminated but it no longer looked the same as how he'd left it that morning. Balloons of every color littered the floor, completely covering the hardwood floor underneath. Multicolored streamers hung from the ceiling and dangled obnoxiously in his friends' faces. Said friends all had on brightly colored polka dot party hates with varying degrees of discomfort from the accessory.

"Surprise!" Deidra exclaimed, enthusiastically hitting Kakuzu's arm so that he'd express the same sentiment.

"Surprise." The man finally grumbled, folding his arms over his chest and walking away from Deidra's assault.

"Thank you." The Uchiha said stiffly although there was a mild hint of surprise in his voice. He'd completely forgotten that today was his birthday.

"Oh no! You opened the door too soon!" Hanabi called out from inside of the kitchen on the far side of the room.

The crowd of men parted to allow Konan and Hanabi through but Itachi barely registered the blue-haired woman's presence. All he could focus on was Hanabi smiling up at, wearing a bulky black sweater she'd stolen from his suitcase and bright yellow leggings. In her hands was a lopsided cake covered in chocolate frosting and more lit candles than were appropriate for a cake. She stopped just in front of him, pale eyes staring up at him excitedly. Her lips parted as she held the cake out to him proudly and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her.

"Happy Birthday Itachi."

 _ **To be continued…**_

 **T is for Crush**

 _Girls were gross. There was no other way to say it._


	20. T is for Crushed

**CCNote:** **I wish that I could update twice a week like I used to but this new semester has been so busy lol! My third-year** **students are also graduating soon so I've been putting extra effort into our lessons to make them as enjoyable as possible. I'll probably update more frequently once testing starts and preparations** **for the graduation ceremony starts but until then you'll get an update at least once a week. Anywho! Thanks so much for your continued support! Also, have you ever dealt with a child in their terrible twos?** **They're** **the effing worst lol! Don't forget to REVIEW!**

 **T is for Crushed**

 **Thursday May 01 2026 2:15pm**

 **Hyuuchiha Enterprise**

… **.**

"That will be all for the day." Sasuke said, glancing to his right at Hinata who subtly nodded her head in agreement. "This meeting is adjourned."

A breath of relief flooded the room with his announcement and even he had to give into the ease. The meeting had been well over an hour and could have gone on for much longer but his brain would become fried if he did that. He glanced once more at his wife who was still shuffling through some of the reports they'd received.

'Always diligent.' He thought to himself, watching her eyes dart back and forth as she absorbed the information on the paper.

Around them, the Hyuuga and Uchiha staff quickly began gathering their things and shuffled orderly out of the room. Sasuke relished their departure and the change that was brought about to obtain it. Women no longer hung back after the meeting to ask about asinine questions or help with 'special' projects. The diminished vying for his attention kept tension low among the staff and restored the nerves that had been previously frayed by their antics.

It hadn't always been like this. After the birth of the twins, many of his female workers had practically thrown themselves at him since Hinata was technically not in the picture. Many of them had been under the assumption that Hinata becoming pregnant had been a mistake. It had been thought that he would go the way of many powerful businessmen and find satisfaction elsewhere. He and Hinata weren't even married at the time so it did give many of the women too much hope. He'd ignored them the way he always had and as time passed the advances lessened. Hinata returning to work definitely helped speed things along. The birth of his third child and daughter Hikari all but killed the remaining interest in him entirely. If he'd known having children would have gotten women off of his back perhaps he would have had them much sooner. Sasuke smirked at the thought, leaning to one side of his chair.

"What are you laughing at?" Hinata asked and Sasuke shook his head.

"Nothing." He replied, his smirk widening into a smile when her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Do I have something on my face?"

She reached up and touched her face in search of a blemish that he knew wasn't there. He didn't tell her that though. He still took too much amusement in teasing her. Lazily he got up out of his chair, swiping his file folder off of the table, and heading towards the door. He could hear his wife behind him, scrambling to gather her things as well in order to follow him out of the room. Sasuke turned back and watched as she dropped her pens on the floor and bumped her head on the table when she stood back up. White eyes blinked owlishly back at him and a bright pink blush spread across her cheeks with embarrassment at her clumsiness. How was it possible that she was still so cute? He shook his head and smirked.

"Hurry up Uchiha. We don't have all day." He said and walked out of the room.

… **.**

 **Thursday May 01 2026 2:15pm**

 **Hydrangea Park**

… **.**

"Hikari no! Don't eat that!"

She still put some random child's toy firetruck in her mouth.

"Hikari what are you doing?"

She continued to tumble downhill, giggling all the way.

"Hikari wait!"

She most definitely _did not_ wait.

Hajime sighed as he finally _almost_ caught up with his sister on the other side of the park. She was just a few feet away now and he'd been chasing her all around for a while. She was only two years old but she was the fastest two year old he'd ever met. It was hard to keep up with her even before she started walking but now she was unstoppable. Just as he reached out to grab the back of her lavender t-shirt, she quickly switched gears and started running in the opposite direction.

The sudden change made the Uchiha trip over his own two feet and sent him toppling face first into the grass. He groaned in pain, hoping that he'd be able to just lay there in the dirt instead of continuing his chase. She'd been running circles around him and Hiroto all day with no end in sight. Hikari certainly had a mind of her own and at times he wished she was more docile like their cousin Honoka. Honoka never caused problems when they played with her, although she did tend to always win at games which bothered Hiroto to no end.

Hikari was terrible at games. She always tried to put the pieces in her mouth or stepped on the board. She stole their balls and cried when they didn't give her a particular crayon she wanted. She followed him and Hiroto around the house constantly and if they closed the door to their bedrooms she'd sit out in the hallway until they opened the door again. They didn't do that anymore though because their father got really really angry when he found her sitting alone in the hallway for the second time. He hadn't yelled although the twins would have preferred it if he had. It was way too scary seeing their father get so quiet. Hiroto had tried to explain that they were just too busy to play with her but that had only made their father even angrier.

'There is nothing more important than family.' He'd said. 'You're supposed to take care of your sister.' His words had stuck with the twins every since which was why Hajime was now running after her. He had to take care of her. He was the oldest by a full minute, a fact that bothered Hiroto more than Honoka winning. Being the oldest meant looking out for his brother and sister. It meant talking Hiroto out of jumping off of the monkey bars or holding Hikari's hand when they crossed the street. His Papa praised his diligence.

 _Diligence…a word that meant doing something repeatedly and well._

However, Hiroto just did what he wanted anyway while Hikari took enjoyment in making him work for her compliance.

 _Compliance…a word that meant following directions. Something that his little sister wasn't able to do._

"Hikari stop running! You're going to get hurt!" Hiroto called out as she left the grassy play area to sprint through the sandbox.

Hiroto was already playing in the sandbox. He was going to dig the biggest hole that had ever been dug and he'd been at it since they'd arrived in the park. It was a noble endeavor but other children kept getting in his way and kicking sand into the hole. At the moment the large sandbox was occupied by many children and Hikari was kicking sand in all of their faces. She'd almost made it past Hiroto's hole but his brother managed to reach out and grab the edge of her shirt. She fell back into the sand onto her butt, kicking up granules into the sky.

"Again again!" she squealed as Hajime finally reached his family.

"Hikari you can't run off like that." Hajime admonished through heavy pants as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Kari wan pway!"

She rolled over onto her stomach, pushing more sand into Hiroto's hole.

"Hikari! You're ruining it!" Hiroto protested.

"Kari wan pway!"

"C'mon. Let's go wake up Papa. That will be fun right?" Hajime suggested to the two-year-old.

Waking up their grandfather whenever he passed out on the park bench was his little sister's favorite thing to do. However, judging by the way her red cheeks puffed out and the way she crossed her arms, Hikari was not willing to go along with his plan.

"Kari wan pway!" she huffed, kicking more sand into her brother's pit.

"Stop it Hikari!"

"Kari wan-" she started to insist but was distracted by a caterpillar inching along the edge of the sandbox.

"Now I gotta start all over." Hiroto grumbled, tossing his shovel into the sand in defeat.

"I'll help you." Haji suggested but Hiroto just shook his head.

"I'm over digging anyway. Those stupid girls from earlier already ruined it first. I don't want to start over again."

"Girls?"

"Yea. Those stupid girls over there."

Hajime followed where his brother's finger was pointing towards the swings. Four or five girls were gathered all around one swing which was odd at first glance but he was able to quickly see what they were so excited about. There was another girl on the swing, kicking her feet high in the air and propelling herself higher than anyone he'd seen do before.

 _Propel…a word that meant to go forward._

The elder Uchiha twin could only stand there in awe as the girl swung higher and higher. Each time she came back to the ground her friends would squeal with excitement and cheer her on. It was mesmerizing to watch.

"One!" the girls watching shouted, breaking Hajime from his trance. "Two!"

Hajime tapped on his brother's shoulder frantically, frightened by the sudden countdown. Hiroto wasn't even paying attention.

"Three!"

A high pitched scream cut through the air as the girl launched herself like a rocket out of the swing. Short black hair fluttered behind her as she jumped and for a moment Hajime could swear that she was flying. It was over in the blink of an eye though. When she'd landed on the ground her friends had gathered all around her, cheering at the feat she'd accomplished.

"That was…amazing." Hajime said breathlessly and Hiroto snorted as he looked back over his shoulder.

"Oh, that? That's the third time she's jumped, big whoop. Hn. I could do _that_. Even Hikari can do that I bet."

"Kari?" their little sister called as she finally stopped looking at the caterpillar. Big black eyes lit up with excitement. "Kari can?"

"Yea! I bet she'd be loads better than those girls." Hiroto enthused and held his hand out to her. "C'mon Hikari lets play on the swing."

"Kari pway! Kari pway!"

Hiroto moved to lead the youngest Uchiha out of the sandbox but Hajime didn't follow him. He was too focused on the girl from the swing being swamped by her friends.

"You coming, Haji?" Hiroto asked and Hajime shook his head. "Suit yourself. C'mon Hikari."

"Yay!"

… **.**

 **Thursday May 01 2026 3:01pm**

 **Hydrangea Park**

… **.**

This girl, Hajime had decided, was like no other girl he'd ever seen before. The other girls around her seemed to recognize her charm and followed her all around the park from one play area to another. Hajime followed them as well, at a distance of course. While the girls all appeared friendly they were also distinctly foreign to him. Foreign a word that meant strange and unfamiliar. The only girls he'd talked to so far were his family members. He'd be starting school soon and that meant there would be lots of girls to talk to but he was ready to bridge that gap just yet.

He was content to watch them from afar. Most of the girls were pretty boring in his opinion though. They never played on the playground equipment for long, jumping from the slide to the sandbox to the swings. It was mostly the swing girl moving from one spot to the other, the rest of the girls followed behind her closely like little shadows. They did everything she did. When she wanted to do somersaults across the basketball court, they did it too. When she wanted to hang upside down on the monkey bars, the braver girls tried to do it too but many of them just cheered her on. It was interesting watching her do whatever she wanted to freely.

Not only was she really really brave but she was also…pretty? She was nowhere near as pretty as his mother. His mother didn't have dirt on her face or messy hair or two front teeth missing. Yet, despite how rough she was, Hajime thought there was something about her face. It was unique. He didn't know much about her outside of the fact that she liked to do dangerous things on playground equipment. He didn't really want to have a long conversation with her but he did want to know her name. A girl that could fly through the air. What would you call a person like that?

Slowly, the Uchiha edged himself away from the tree that he was currently hiding behind. Any time he'd had a question before all he'd had to do was ask and he'd received an answer. If he asked her what her name was she'd tell him. He had a feeling that she wasn't a very shy girl so she'd probably answer quickly. Hajime had barely taken two steps towards the group of girls when the swinging girl jumped off of the monkey bars and was making her way towards him. He immediately froze as the horde of girls ran behind her towards the tree, utterly frightened as to what to do next. It took her less than a minute to make it to his particular tree and in that time Hajime had yet to come up with an escape plan.

"Hey!" the swing girl shouted as she marched right up to him. Now that she was closer he could clearly see the smudges of dirt on her forehead and chin. Big blue eyes blinked back at him as though waiting for a response. "Hello! Did you hear me?"

"I-I-I'm sorry what did you say?" Hajime stammered, taken aback by how loud the girl was. He could feel his entire face burning as she continued to stare at him.

She huffed, blowing a few messy black locks of hair off of her forehead.

" _I said_ is this your tree?"

"M-m-my tree?"

"Yes, your tree. We're going to climb it and you're in the way."

"Climb?"

"I think this one is broken." Another little girl with curly red hair said. "His clone wasn't this weird. He was just mean."

Clone? What was a clone? Hajime wasn't quite sure but it didn't sound like anything good. Now the other girls had surrounded the tree as well, giggling and pointing and making jokes he couldn't quite understand. His heart rate started picking up as the girls continued to close in on him, the swing girl, in particular, was looking at him intensely.

"Hey, kid." She said, reaching out to touch him but pausing when the other girls screamed.

"No! You'll get cooties!" the redhead screamed and pulled the swing girl's hand away. "Let's go find another tree where there aren't any weird cootie clones."

Quickly the girls scramble away, not a single one looking back at the 'weird clone'. Hajime watched them go with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Was he …weird? Was there really something wrong with him? Absently he bit his bottom lip to keep from crying. He didn't want anyone to see him cry then they would think he was even weirder.

 _Weird…a word he didn't understand…_

… **.**

 **Thursday May 01 2026 5:07pm**

 **Uchiha Compound- Main House**

… **.**

"Kari home! Kari home!" Hikari shouted as she let go of their Papa's hand and ran through the foyer.

Hiroto followed behind into the house, absently kicking off his shoes behind him. He could hear his grandfather chuckle from the door but didn't pay the man too much attention. He could already smell dinner cooking in the kitchen and it smelled delicious. He could already feel his mouth water at the thought of spaghetti. Quickly he ran into the kitchen, slipping and sliding on the hardwood in his socks, to find his mother and father kissing in front of the stove. _Gross._

"You're going to burn the spaghetti! Again!" Hiroto groaned and his parents broke apart.

His mother's face turned as red as a tomato when she pushed his father away. His father just wiped the lipstick off of his mouth with the back of his hand, unashamed of how gross he was. Hiroto was never going to understand why they liked kissing each other so much.

"How was the park?" he asked just as the thunderous sound of tiny feet marched into the kitchen. Hikari barely managed to not fall as she rounded the corner, her only saving grace being that her brother grabbed her arm before she could.

"Nice save." His father smirked and Hikari wiggled away.

"Kari home!" she shouted and their mother's laughter filled the kitchen.

"Yes she is!" their mother cooed and crouched down to pick up the youngest Uchiha. "I missed my Kari! Did you have fun?"

Hikari giggled as she was smothered in more kisses than either Uchiha male thought was necessary. The two-year-old tried to squirm away but she was only rewarded with more affection. Eventually, his mother did put Hikari down and donned her trademark 'tickle monster' voice. Hikari screamed as she scrambled out of the kitchen to get away from their mother's wiggling fingers. Even after a day in the park, the only way to get Hikari to take a bath was to tire her out and the tickle monster was just the thing to do it. Hiroto shook his head at the screams coming from the living room and lazily climbed up the island barstool. He laid his head down on the cold granite countertop, dark eyes watching his father's back as he resumed cooking dinner.

"Where is Haji?" his father asked and Hiroto shrugged his shoulders even though he knew his father couldn't see him.

Hajime had been all sad before they'd even left the park. Hiroto didn't know the real reason as to why his brother was down but his mood was affecting him as well. Hajime being sad made him sad too and he really didn't like feeling that way. He tried to get him to tell him what was wrong but Hajime had refused to talk. He wouldn't even talk to Papa about it and they usually told their Papa everything. The only thing Hiroto could think would be the reason for his brother's shift in mood were the stupid girls that had been running around the park. Hajime had been following them around the park, hiding quite poorly behind bushes and trees. Then all of a sudden he wasn't following them anymore and he and Hikari found him crying behind a tree. Hiroto didn't understand why he would be so interested in those girls. They were all loud and stupid and gross. If they were the ones that made his brother cry he hated them even more than he did already.

"Well?" his father asked again, breaking him from his thoughts.

"Haji's all mopey." Hiroto sighed.

His father lowered the heat on the sauce before grabbing an empty pot and bringing it over to the sink. He filled it halfway with water before returning it to the stove and lighting a fire underneath it. He threw some salt into the water as well and finally topped the pot with its lid.

"Care to explain why?"

"I don't know. He was following some girls around the park then he just got really sad."

"Hn."

"I don't even understand why though. Girls are gross so I don't see why he'd waste his time talking to one." Hiroto huffed and his father finally turned around to face him.

"Not all girls." His father said with a smirk. "Your mother and sister are girls."

"They're different."

In the living room, they could still hear his mother trying to wrangle Hikari for a proper bath time and his father shook his head.

"I suppose they are." He said, reaching up into the cabinet next to the stove for a box of pasta. He dumped the rigid spaghetti noodles into the pot of boiling water and replaced the lid back onto the pot.

"Go wash up. Dinner will be ready soon."

… **.**

 **Thursday May 01 2026 8:10pm**

 **Uchiha Compound-Main House**

…

Hinata paused just outside of her eldest son's door. No sound could be heard on the inside but Hinata knew that he was awake. Call it mother's intuition but she knew that something was wrong as soon as she had gotten off from work. When he didn't immediately seek her out when he came home, that only heightened her awareness to an issue. Instead of greeting her like he usually did, he holed himself up in his room and only made an appearance when it was time for dinner. He'd taken two bites of his spaghetti and when pressed to take a third he nearly burst into tears.

After the table had been cleared and the children were sent to their rooms, Sasuke had told her of what Hiroto had relayed about the park. Of course, there weren't many details of the incident since Hiroto was not a reliable source of information but she was able to piece together why Hajime was behaving the way he was. Children today weren't that different than they were when she was growing up and she had a gut feeling that something had been said that had hurt his feelings. Hajime was the most sensitive of her three children. It was a trait she valued because she saw so much of herself in his loving nature. It hurt her deeply to see him so upset.

Worriedly biting her lower lip, she knocked on the door and entered the room without a confirmation. Inside of Hajime's all of the lights had been turned out which was very much unlike Hiroto's who was afraid of the dark. By the orange glow underneath his blankets, she knew that he was still awake, just as she had expected. Hinata shook her head and stepped further into the room. How many times had she told Hajime not to read in the dark? He was going to ruin his eyes if she kept it up.

"Haji." She called out softly and the lump in the middle of the bed jumped.

He quickly pulled the blanket off of his head and rolled over onto his side so that it would look like he was sleeping. Hinata sighed and approached the side of his bed, taking a seat on the edge.

"Haji." She said, reaching out the little boy whose back was turned to her. She placed a hand on his arm and gently rubbed back and forth with her thumb. "Haji, I know you're not sleeping."

Hajime still refused to respond, just as stubborn as his father. Perhaps even more so at times. Undeterred, Hinata pressed on.

"You must have had a tough time today looking after Hiro and Kari. They sure are a handful aren't they?"

That comment earned her a small laugh that managed to escape from her son's lips but was quickly played off as a snore. Hinata smiled and continued to rub her thumb back and forth.

"Well I was going to ask for your assistance with making some cookies but I guess you're too tired." She signed, adding a hint of false sadness in her voice. " I guess I _could_ ask your siblings but they tend to eat all of the cookie dough. Then again, your father could always help me-"

"No!" Hajime shouted, jumping upright from his false slumber. "He always burns the bottoms!"

Hinata giggled as her eldest scrambled out of his bed and headed for the door. Sasuke did always burn the bottoms but that was for two reasons. The first reason being that he didn't like sweets and couldn't be trusted to keep an eye on the cookies his children always begged for. He hoped that one day they'd get over their love of sugar but Hinata doubted that would ever happen. The second reason was that he always managed to find better ways to occupy his time, namely distracting her until the burnt smell of cookies reached their children's nostrils and dashed their dreams. The Uchiha matriarch stood up from the bed when Hajime opened the door and followed the eager boy down the stairs to the kitchen.

"Careful Haji." She chided as the boy ran down the stairs.

Ever since they'd moved into their new home two years ago the boys had been thundering up and down the stairs. She worried of course that one day they'd miss a step and fall down but Sasuke believed it would be a well-deserved lesson learned. Their new home didn't have nearly as many staircases as the Hokage mansion but it was a lot bigger than the penthouse.

Hinata sighed as she descended from the last step and made her way into the kitchen. Her home, their home, was more than what she could have imagined. At one point she'd believed her future residence would be the Hokage mansion. At another point, it could have been a vast and arid estate in Suna. However, fate seemed to have other plans for her life and had planted her here in the newly renovated Uchiha compound. Four bedrooms, three bathrooms. She and Sasuke had spent countless nights pouring over blueprints and picking out every element of the house they now lived in. In the end, she was more than satisfied with the results and felt more at home here than she ever had anywhere else.

That was an odd thing to even admit since she'd never imagined she'd marry an Uchiha let alone be the matriarch. The Uchiha clan hadn't lived together in a compound for decades. Located on the outskirts of Konoha, they had the property with plenty of room to grow but the old buildings had fallen into disrepair. The space had become overwrought with nature. The ghosts of past residence haunted the space. It was unsettling at first to see the dilapidated compound but within a year, and with a lot of money, they were able to bring the compound back to its former glory.

It couldn't have been finished at a better time either. The twins were sprouting like weeds and now had plenty of room to run around and play. Hikari also toddled after them as best as she could, it wouldn't be long before she outpaced them. Her little family was growing and so too was the clan. For now, the only homes occupied were their own and her in-laws. However, members of the clan were making arrangements to return and the compound would become a lot busier. Perhaps even Itachi would return.

"Ready!" Hajime called from the kitchen.

Hinata turned the corner into the kitchen to find her son had already tied his apron around his waist and had pulled out his usual stepping stool. An Uchiha crest was embroidered boldly on his chest.

"Did you wash your hands?" Hinata asked and the boy blushed at his mistake.

He quickly rectified the situation by scurrying over to the sink with his stepping stool in hand. Once Hinata was satisfied that he'd washed his hands well enough, she washed her own and began the process of making cookies.

"Which kind are we making today?" she asked, pulling the materials they'd need out of the fridge.

"Hmmmm what about peanut butter and chocolate chip?"

Hinata paused. They'd never made those kinds of cookies before but it sounded good. However, her pause had caused Hajime to begin fidgeting with his apron strings and shaking his head.

"Never…nevermind. Let's just do a sugar cookie."

"Why can't we do peanut butter and chocolate chip?"

Hajime mumbled something unintelligible under his breath but didn't elaborate. With a soft sigh, Hinata closed the door to the fridge before crouching down to his level.

"Haji, I want to make peanut butter and chocolate chip."

"Don't you think it's weird?" he mumbled, looking at her with glassy black eyes. Hinata merely shook her head and folded her arms over her knees.

"I think it's an interesting idea from an even more interesting little boy. Where did you come up with it?"

"Um…" he sniffed. "I like peanut butter and I like chocolate chips. I thought they'd taste good together."

"I don't see why they wouldn't."

Hajime cracked a smile at her statement, using the heels of his hands to rid his eyes of the tears that hadn't fallen.

"Do you…do you think I'm a weird clone?"

"A weird what?" Hinata scoffed and reached out a hand to ruffle his already messy black hair. "You are Hajime Uchiha. Nothing more, nothing less and you most certainly are not a weird clone."

"But girls think I'm a weird clone."

"I'm a girl. I don't think you're a weird clone."

"You're different."

"Kari doesn't think you're a weird clone."

"She's different too."

Hinata then proceeded to go down every woman of significance that Hajime had met in his life only to be shot down each time. Everyone else was different. Their opinions didn't matter but apparently, the opinion of one girl in particular did. Suddenly realization set in and her heart skipped a beat. Hajime had a crush. A smile spread across her face as she pulled the mopey boy in for a hug, squeezing him tightly.

"There is someone out there that isn't 'different' and I know they think you're amazing. You just haven't met them yet. In the meantime, I hope it's enough that I think you are."

Hajime sniffed and buried his face into the crook of her shoulder and neck. He wasn't crying but it was clear that he just wanted to be held. Hinata rubbed comforting circles on his back, unable to fault him for needing the added affection. When she was his age she was sure that her own mother held her just like this. She couldn't remember her mother's voice nor the words to the lullabies she used to sing to her. The feeling of her mother's touch was just as fleeting but it had to feel something like this. Warm and safe and close.

When Hajime finally pulled away from her she pressed a quick kiss to his forehead before rising to her full height. Her son then pushed his stool up to the island and looked at their gathered materials with a new sense of vigor.

"Alright, Mr. Uchiha. Dictate what you think the cookies need."

"What does 'dictate' mean?"

"It means to tell someone something. Like a command."

"In that case, I say we need extra chocolate chips." He grinned and Hinata smiled back at him.

"Yes, sir."

 _ **To be Continued…**_

 **U is for Change**

" _I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."_


	21. U is for Change

**CCNote:** **Please excuse all glaringly terrible mistakes. Sober me will clean them up later. Enjoy!**

 **U is for Change**

 **Uchiha Compound- Main House**

 **Friday April 27 2029 5:03pm**

… **.**

"Please, Hikari we need to find your tennis shoes. Do you remember where you put them?"

" _Do you remember where you put them_?" the little girl mimicked, kicking her white stocking feet back and forth from the edge of her bed.

"Hikari." Hinata sighed.

" _Hikari."_

"Hikari." Sasuke's firm voice called from the doorway to the five-year-old's room, pulling on an expensively tailored suit jacket as he did so. "Where are your shoes?"

The youngest Uchiha stiffened a bit at her father's tone but didn't answer his question. She merely shrugged her shoulders and continued to kick her feet. Hinata frowned and shuffled up to the side of the bed, careful not to mess up her evening gown too much. The navy blue silk pooled around her into a thick puddled as she crouched down in front of her daughter. Big, black eyes stared back at her, so much like her father's, although this time they were filled with defiance and anger and more than just a little hurt.

"Kari. I know you're upset." Hinata started and the little girl sniffed. "I wish we could be there tonight but I promise we will be there for the next one."

"Everyone else has their mommy and daddy going!" she huffed, crossing her little arms over her petal pink leotard.

"Your grandparents are very excited to see you dance."

"I want my mommy and daddy!"

"Kari-"

"It's not fair!"

"I know, I'm sorry." The Uchiha matriarch tried to console but Hikari only rolled her eyes.

Hinata pursed her lips in a tight line. Hikari was right. It wasn't fair. Tonight was a big night for Hyuuchiha Enterprises. They'd finally been able to acquiesce an upstart company that Sound Inc. had been trying to obtain for months. The Mist Corporation was seen as having a pulse on the veins of the next generation of consumers. Bringing them under the Hyuuchiha umbrella would only grow their company more and, of course, necessitated a celebration. She and Sasuke were hosting the event along with Neji and Tenten, more than just a bit of press had been focused on the event. Buying out the Mizu Corporation had the potential to open up so many more opportunities not only for the company but also for the clan.

Unfortunately, their big night also coincided with their daughter's first ballet recital. Hikari had been so excited about the performance to the point where she was constantly twirling around the house and forcing her brothers to watch her dance. She danced in the park, while standing in line, and waiting for the tub to fill up with water for bathtime. With the stress of negotiations to buy out the Mizu Corporation and the flurry of activity, Hinata and Sasuke had forgotten the date of the recital. Fortunately, Fugaku and Mikoto would be able to take Hikari and attend the performance but the news that her parents were no longer going to be there felt like the end of the world for her.

"Hinata." Sasuke called again from the door. "We have to leave in ten minutes. My parents are waiting in the living room."

"Kari, you will be amazing tonight. Show us your full performance when you get home tomorrow alright?" Hinata sighed and leaned in to give her daughter a hug but was met with nothing but air as she flung herself back onto the bed.

The girl mused the high bun Hinata had painstakingly pulled to the top of her head, the hairdo's only saving grace were the millions of bobby pins that held it together. With pale arms obstinately crossed over chest, Hikari stared up at the ceiling and ignored them. Taking a deep breath, Hinata stood up and dusted the front of her dress off. When Hikari got into these moods it was best to leave her alone.

Out of the corner of her eye, Hinata noticed the toe of a white tennis shoe stick out from underneath the lavender bed skirt and shook her head. She bent down to grab the shoes before Hikari found another hiding place for them and turned to walk out of the room. Sasuke stood in the doorway, a hard look on his face as she approached him. Neither one wanted to miss Hikari's performance but they couldn't risk the Mizu Corporation reneging on the deal from the snub and joining forces with the Sound. The ink wasn't even dry yet on the paperwork.

Sasuke gently took the shoes from her possession and led her out of their disappointed daughter's room. With any luck, they might be able to sneak away from their event to catch the last half of Hikari's performance but it was unlikely. The last thing the Uchihas heard as they walked away from the doorway was the creek of her bed as Hikari rolled over and a muffled cry into her pillow.

 **...**

 **Hotel Associa- Grand Ballroom A**

 **Friday April 27 2029 7:45pm**

…

Hinata gave a tight-lipped smile as she politely nodded along to the conversations of her peers. The rich wives of the Sound shareholders were all important in their own right but the Uchiha just couldn't catch what they were saying. In the back of her mind, a strange nagging feeling kept pulling her attention away from the conversation. The only time she felt this creeping paranoia was when it came to her children however at a time like this she knew it was unreasonable. Hajime and Hiroto were safe in the Hokage Mansion having a sleepover with Ito and their cousin Honoka. Hikari would join them after her recital was over and she'd probably be back to her usual cheery self by morning.

' _Hikari'_ Hinata thought to herself, the nagging feeling in her mind intensified but she pushed it away. _'I just feel guilty, that's all.'_

A warm hand slid into its usual place upon her lower back and she leaned into it naturally without having to see who it was. The way the faces of the shareholder wives lit up was enough to tell her that her husband had approached the group, not that she needed their signaling.

"Why !" a bold, dark-haired woman blushed. The dark crimson gown she was wearing clung to her body like a second skin and showed off more of her ample bosom than Hinata felt was acceptable. "We were just having a lovely conversation with your wife."

The other women giggled as the boldest among them adjusted her thick-framed glasses and extended her hand out to Sasuke. The Uchiha male looked at her hand curiously but didn't take it.

"And you are?" he asked tersely and it was only due to her training as a Hyuuga that Hinata was able to keep an impassive face.

"Oh, where are my manners?" the woman smiled, retracting her hand. "I'm Seiya, Seiya Unno. I was just telling the other ladies how fortunate it was you were able to come to a deal with Mizu."

"It is." Sasuke replied flatly, adding pressure to the hand on her back. "If you'll excuse us."

As they walked away, Hinata could hear the women immediately delve into gossip but she couldn't be bothered to care. She was more than used to the conniving women that existed within their circles. Sasuke led her swiftly through the crowded ballroom, stopping every so often to entertain the shallow pleasantries of others. Across the room, Hinata saw Tenten swarmed by a group of women similar to the ones she and Sasuke had just retreated from. The Uchiha matriarch covered her smile with her hand as she watched the telltale signs of Tenten's patience unraveling. The way her left eye twitched slightly and her shoulders rigid with tension. Hinata could only hope that Tenten would be able to keep up the 'nice lady' charade for a few more hours.

Soon Sasuke was able to navigate them out of the ballroom to a nearly empty side hallway. Their only company was the occasional black vested server carrying new trays of cocktail shrimp and champagne into the ballroom. Hinata took a deep breath of relief to be out of the room and away from the scrutinizing eyes of other companies. Their eyes calculated how to get in with the rising Hyuuga stock or, within the very same breath, how to take them down. It was all highly unnerving when one was exposed to it for several hours at a time.

"Dammit." Sasuke cursed under his breath as he shoved his cell phone back into his inner coat pocket. "Hikari's recital was scheduled to end almost an hour ago."

Hinata's hands snaked up her sides in an attempt to comfort herself from the rush of guilt that flooded her. She let out a small laugh, hoping that humor would allow herself and her husband to not feel like such horrible parents.

"I guess it's for the best that we didn't make it. She might have jumped off the stage."

"I doubt we would have been able to leave." Sasuke frowned, her attempt at humor having no effect on his mood. "Zabuza's brown nosers have been after me all night."

"Are you sure making a deal with them is the right thing to do?" she asked and Sasuke ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

She knew that he and Neji had been going about this in circles almost a million times. The men had fought each other about the decision on more occasions than she'd been privy to and when they'd finally come to a tentative consensus they'd had to fight their own shareholders and clan members. The last few months had been very contentious but tonight was the culmination of all of their planning. The start of the planting of the future they were trying to grow. Hinata believed in her husband but something still didn't sit right.

"Are you questioning my decision?" Sasuke asked, an unspoken and tired 'after everything' hung in the air behind his words. Hinata bit her bottom lip and shook her head.

"No. I trust you." She said firmly and reached for one of his hands to cradle it between both of her own. "I don't know what it is…I…I don't have anything to back up this feeling. I just feel uneasy tonight."

Her husband visibly relaxed at her words, no longer taking them as an affront against him. He'd been fighting everyone for so long it would have been the last straw to have her against him as well. Slowly she rubbed small comforting circles against the back of his hand with her thumbs in an effort to distract herself from the unease she was feeling. As they stood there for a moment longer in the hallway, the door to the ballroom opened and with it came the sounds of their guests' pompous merriment.

"We should head back in." Hinata said with a short sigh.

Sasuke shook his head before reaching up with his free hand to lift her chin. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, gently tracing her jaw with his thumb. All too soon he pulled away with a softer look in his eyes.

"Let's call my parents to see how Hikari's recital went." He said and Hinata smiled in relief at the suggestion. "I'm sure my mother has the entire thing video tapped."

"Oh, I hope she does!"

Sasuke smirked at her gushing and backed away enough to once more remove his cell phone from his coat pocket. There was silence as he dialed Mikoto's number and his face quickly dropped from a confident smirk to a wrinkled brow.

"What's wrong?" Hinata asked and Sasuke shook his head.

"It's going straight to voicemail." He mumbled, dialing the number again.

Just as before his call wasn't answered. He called Fugaku twice as well but he didn't pick up either. Worried obsidian eyes met hers for only a moment before a frantic rustling down the hall alerted them to someone else's presence.

"Sasuke! Hinata!" Shisui shouted from the end of the hallway. His eyes alone were enough to convey to the pair that something was wrong. "Come, we have to leave!"

Immediately Sasuke grabbed her hand and pulled her forward towards their alarmed clan member. Shisui didn't even wait for them to meet him, instead turning immediately on his heels and rushing for the hotel stairwell. He pushed open the door that led to the fluorescent-lit cement stairs and took to them two at a time. Without thinking, Hinata kicked off her heels and handed them to Sasuke before hiking the folds of her evening gown up so that she could freely descend. Shisui paused for only a moment to ensure they were following and quickly resumed his pace when he did.

"Shisui, what's going on?" Sasuke asked, his voice echoing off the walls.

"There's been an accident." The man said breathlessly. "Fugaku and Mikoto, I got a call from the ambulance since I was the last number dialed by the driver-"

Hinata heard nothing else after that. Her toes hit the cold cement but she couldn't feel it. When her skin felt the cold night air push against her she had no idea. She wasn't even sure if her heart was still beating. The only thing that kept her propelling forward was Sasuke's hand in hers and her daughter's voice in her mind.

It's not fair.

It's not fair.

It's not fair.

The entire cab ride to the hospital Shisui and Sasuke were shouting back and forth at each other but Hinata couldn't muster the effort to tell her husband to lower his voice. Lights flashed outside of her window in as they zoomed through the city at a breakneck pace. It didn't take long for them to arrive at the hospital which was already a flurry of activity in the lives of people unconnected to their own. The cab had barely stopped in the roundabout in front of the hospital's entrance when Sasuke opened the car door and stepped out. Hinata vaguely registered the cab driver shouting obscenities at them but she was already following her husband into the hospital.

They were an odd sight for the people in the emergency waiting room, adorned in their suit and gown while they sat in various states of dishevelment. A chill went down her spine as people pulled out their phones and began recording the spectacle of Sasuke intimidating the nurse's staff into giving them the information he needed faster than their fingers could type. Gathering up her gown she walked over to her husband and placed a hand on his arm. He tensed at her touch but stopped yelling at the frightened nurse.

"T-t-the r-r-r-room room room number is 521." The nurse said, her wide brown eyes close to tears.

"Thank you." Hinata replied softly, a fuming Sasuke already heading towards the elevators.

Hinata followed him at a much slower pace, sending halfhearted apologies to the staff that got in Sasuke's way. When they got into the first available elevator it was thankfully empty but the ride felt as though it took forever. She reached out and grabbed Sasuke's hand, unsurprised to find it just as cold as her own. He gave her hand a small squeeze and they watched the numbers above the door light up. Second floor…trauma…Third floor…neurology…Fourth floor…maternity…Fifth floor pediatrics… A small bit of hope swelled inside of her as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Hikari had to be alright in some capacity if she wasn't on the trauma floor or the ICU which was only one floor above them.

The pediatrics floor was well lit and welcoming with cartoon stickers in every window and brightly painted walls. Despite the playful décor, the sterile scent of a hospital still clung to everything and made Hinata's heart beat faster. Hikari didn't belong here. Hikari should be with her brothers, Honoka, and Ito and scheming of ways to stay up all night or sneaking treats from the Hokage Mansion kitchens. Hikari should be somewhere that didn't feel like death was right around the corner. Hinata shook the frightening thoughts out of her mind and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.

At this time of night, it was nearly empty save the nurses desk which was fully staffed with men and women watching computer monitors. They quickly confirmed who they were to the head nurse on duty who grabbed a thin manilla folder and she led them to the room that held their daughter. The numbers 521 were scrawled in a fun, candy-striped pattern with a bright yellow smiley face pasted next to it. The nurse knocked on the door briefly but no sound came from the inside to let them know it was alright to enter.

The nurse opened the door anyway and inside sat a solitary bed, surrounded by beeping machines and wires. Hikari sat in the middle of the bed, impossibly small in the sterile white room, and didn't even look at them when they came in. Her normally messy black hair was wrapped in a tight gauze crown and her obsidian eyes stared up at the ceiling unblinkingly.

"Kari." Hinata chocked out affectionately in hopes that her daughter would respond. When she didn't, Hinata let go of Sasuke's hand and move to the little girl's bedside.

"What's wrong with her?" Sasuke asked through clenched teeth to the nurse.

"She's sedated right now for pain. She's suffered a minor head injury from the crash but there was a lot of bleeding. Luckily she only needed a few stitches. She should be responsive in a few hours when the medicine wears off." The nurse informed them. "We'll be able to run some tests in the morning when our technicians arrive."

Hinata bit her bottom lip and reached out hesitantly to touch Hikari's gauze covered forehead. Her heart clenched with the longing for a little hand to stubbornly swat her away but the action never came. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood and stared down at Hikari, perplexed as to how something like this could even occur. A car accident? The drivers for the Uchiha were very skilled. None of their drivers had been involved in a car accident while they'd been under their service.

"Where are Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha? They had to be with her in the car."

Hinata watched as the nurse shifted uncomfortably next to Sasuke, his glare boring right through her. Stiffly the woman handed him the thin folder she'd brought with her but Sasuke refused to take it.

"Where are they?"

 **...**

 **Friday May 3 2029** **3:46pm**

 **Leaf General Hospital- Basement**

… **.**

Sasuke's upper lip curled in distaste as he looked at the body lying beneath the white sheet. The gore and blood had been wiped away, leaving behind a clean view of the mangled gray body. On his left Shisui turned green while to his right, his lawyer Kakashi grabbed the sheet and pulled it back further.

"Male. Fifty-four-year-old divorcee. Survived by no children and no other familial ties to speak of-" Kakashi started but Sasuke held up a hand to stop him.

"I don't care about who the hell he is." The Uchiha said flatly. "I care about his motives."

Kakashi nodded his head and pulled the sheet back over the body.

"No clear motives outside of the fact that he was in more debt than he could ever hope to pay back. Any assets he left behind are in the process of being seized by the bank. His liquid accounts have been frozen although there wasn't much in there to begin with. He isn't registered with any insurance company for us to make a claim."

The Uchiha frowned as he tore his eyes away from the white sheet. A clans member who left behind two adult children and a grandchild…gone. His father, the man who'd built the clan and company he now led…gone. His mother, the one woman he'd loved for most of his life…gone. All because of a drunk driver hitting them head-on in oncoming traffic.

Hikari would have lost her life as well if it hadn't been for his mother shielding her with her body at the last minute. Sasuke's fists clenched at the thought of Hikari, his nails biting into the flesh of his palms. There was no recourse. There was no one to sue. No one to take to court. No one to be held accountable. He felt helpless for the first time in years and he hated himself for feeling this way. He was Sasuke Uchiha. If anyone was able to bring justice to his parents being snatched away it should be him. A heavy hand reached out and touched his shoulder, drawing him away from his thoughts.

"We need to get to Atami." Shisui said and Sasuke nodded his head.

The Shrine. His parents' ashes would be spread over the shrine's grounds tomorrow, today was the last day to see them whole before the ceremony took place. Without a word he turned away completely from Kakashi and the body and headed for the exit with Shisui on his heels. Outside the sky was an angry slate gray with clouds pregnant with the threat of rain. Flash flood warnings had been issued all over the city and whereas most citizens had the luxury of staying indoors, the Uchiha did not.

It didn't take long to reach their clan's shrine since traffic was nearly nonexistent. The hardest part was climbing the stones steps, knowing that every step closer was solidifying his separation. How could he face his parents for the last time as a failure? He could do nothing to avenge their death. Their pointless death. What was he to do now? At times like this, he really wished that he had his older brother to lean on for support but Itachi had not answered any of his calls in almost two months. Even when he'd tried to inform his brother of their parents' passing he still didn't answer the phone. All of his calls had been forwarded straight to voicemail. Did Itachi even know their parents where dead?

Sasuke frowned as he ascended the last few steps and wall up the gravel path to the shrine's courtyard entrance, the sky growing darker as he drew closer. Of course, Itachi knew. _He had to know._ The untimely death of two rich and powerful people was excellent fodder to draw the public's attention to various news stations. While the public gobbled up every detail they could get their hands on about the lives of his parents, the company's stock was beginning to plummet. It had only been a week of bad stock forecasting and already the Uchiha shareholders were grumbling. His parents had only just been cremated and greedy old men were already cursing their death for ruining profits.

There was no way Itachi hadn't been informed of the chaos and that led Sasuke to draw only one conclusion. Itachi didn't care. Sasuke knew his brother better than the man thought he did. Itachi would move heaven and hell for what he cared about. The fact that there had been nothing but silence on his end meant that he just didn't care. He didn't care about the company. He didn't care about the clan. Most of all, he didn't care about _him_. Why else would he leave him alone like this? They'd both lost a mother and father.

As he walked into the courtyard, the smell of incense assaulted his nostrils. On the far end of the courtyard, the altar were the smoking incenses of clans members and associates that had come to pay their respects. A fire blazed brightly next to the altar and provided the only bright spot to the overcast that shrouded the Atami Shrine. On a raised dais were the matching jade green urns of his parents, surrounded by flowers, candles, and edible offerings for the other ancestors that had passed before them. Standing next to the dais was Hinata dressed somlenly in a modest black dress befitting an Uchiha matriarch in mourning. In her arms, she held a mahogany framed portrait of Mikoto and Fugaku, embellished with a black shroud. His sons stood next to her, holding each hand of their sister and standing guard as was their duty as heirs.

At his approach, the four of them bowed as they must have dutifully done countless times that day. Hajime rose from his bow, tears streaming down his cheeks, but he didn't shake or grimace. It was almost like he didn't realize that he was crying. Hiroto, on the other hand, showed no emotion whatsoever, instead inching closer to their mother protectively and tightening his grip on Hikari's tiny hand. Sasuke gave a curt nod to address the four of them before proceeding with what he had to do. Slowly he approached the dais and removed a brand new incense from a clutch near the right. He lit the end of the thin rod with the altar's fire and blew out the flame so that it was only smoking. Finally, he placed it in front of his parent's urns on top of countless others.

For a moment, all was silent. Not even the wind blew as he stared at his distorted reflection in the jade containers. Dark eyes looked back at him full of spite. A sharp crunch of gravel broke the heavy silence of the altar and caused Sasuke to stiffen. He really didn't want to speak with any of the other clan members right now. They wanted answers. They wanted solutions. He had none of that to give. As the crunching drew near Sasuke turned around to see two darkly clad individuals he hadn't spoken to in months.

"Itachi." Sasuke growled under his breath, his voice carried away by a strong wind that pushed through the courtyard.

The former heir of the Uchiha crossed the courtyard slowly, the gravel crunching under his feet in an odd way. Holding onto his left arm was Hanabi who was more focused on their footsteps than anything else. His wife and children bowed to the newcomers but Sasuke did not dare to give them that respect. Instead, he stepped down from the dais, his heavy footsteps reverberating off of the stone.

"Itachi." He said again, this time loud enough for everyone to hear him.

Itachi and Hanabi stopped only a few feet away from him. Sasuke frowned as he observed the elder's blank face. His skin was paler than normal and there were bags of fatigue under his eyes but otherwise, he appeared fine. The fact that he was fine made the man's blood boil. While he was dealing with the stressors and demands of the clan and company, Itachi was free to waltz in and out of their lives. He didn't even have the decency to answer any of his calls. Every fiber in his body wanted to yell at him, to demand answers from the only person he'd ever looked up to.

As thunder rumbled overhead, Itachi removed Hanabi's hand from his arm and the moment of reluctance between them wasn't amiss. Hanabi ultimately left his brother's side and walked up to where Hinata and his children were. The Hyuuga sisters exchanged a few hurriedly whispered words of comfort between them before Hinata whisked Hanabi and the children away to one of the Shrine's inner rooms. When the sliding shoji doors shut behind them, Itachi finally spoke.

"It's been a while, little brother." He said a smile spreading across his face that never reached his eyes. "I wish that we were reunited under more pleasant circumstances. I do apologize for my absence."

Sasuke's upper lip curled as the back of his throat filled with bile. Itachi was the same as he always was. Unfazed. Collected. It made him sick just looking at him.

"Care to explain where you've been?" he asked, barely keeping his temper in check.

"Where I've been is unimportant."

"Hn." Sasuke grunted. He'd expected that answer.

"How have my niece and nephews been? Hanabi tells me that Hajime is at the top of his class."

"Save it Itachi."

Itachi's smile faltered only a bit at Sasuke's snapping and it made the younger Uchiha feel good. He wanted his brother to feel just as miserable as he did.

"Sasuke, despite my absence I do care about my family." Itachi said simply.

"Why do I find that hard to believe?"

"Sasuke-"

"Pay your respects and leave like you always do. It's what you're good at."

Sasuke then turned away from his brother and went to go collect his family. Hinata had fulfilled her matriarch duties for the day and he would not have her standing here in the shrine a moment longer. Itachi said nothing as he left and when he closed the shoji door behind him, the rain finally began to fall.

… **.**

 **Thursday September 31 2029 4:15pm**

 **Leaf General Hospital- West Wing**

… **..**

"Can you deliver these to Tsunade?" an elderly nurse asked her, shoving a small stack of folders under her nose. "She needs to sign off on these requisitions."

"Alright!" Sakura said, taking the folders but the nurse kept a grip on them. She tapped a wrinkled finger on top of the stack and narrowed her wise brown eyes.

"Don't leave until she signs them. The old bat thinks homeopathy is a joke, she never likes signing the discharge papers for our patients."

Smoothing down the front of her pale blue scrubs, Sakura gulped and nodded. Tsunade was a formidable woman. The reason the malpractice rate was so low for the hospital was due to the fact that she didn't put up with any nonsense and she considered homeopathy nonsense. If it hadn't been tested through the scientific method, Tsunade was very skeptical. However, when it came to minor aches and ailments, their homeopathy branch was able to work wonders. They saved the hospital a lot of money as well which was why Tsunade didn't kick them out on their ass.

Once the wisened nurse was sure she wouldn't back down, Sakura scrambled away from the nurses' station to the elevators. Tsunade's office was on the top floor of the main building and while it wouldn't take long to get there, she knew that the older nurse wanted these papers signed fast. Luckily it was just after lunch so Tsunade shouldn't be too busy. If anything she was probably sleeping on top of all of her paperwork. Sakura giggled at the visual of an exhausted Tsunade, secretly praying that that was the case. A tired Tsunade was much easier to deal with.

The elevator arrived without too many stops to the top floor of the main building. Tsunade's 'office' compromised the entire top floor of the building and held other departments like accounting, human resources, and of course a small army of lawyers. Currently, the floor was deserted which wasn't unsurprising since it was a Friday. Many of Tsunade's personal staff were probably out enjoying an extended lunch before they had to get back to the grueling work of the hospital.

As she walked through the empty workspace, she tried to run her fingers through her short pink hair. She had to at least look presentable in case Tsunade was actually awake. She very much enjoyed working for the homeopathy branch of the hospital and didn't want it to reflect poorly on her mentors that she looked like a slob. Well…not a slob per se. Scrubs and tennis shoes were a given when working in a hospital, but they were a far cry from the stilettos and pencil skirts she used to wear.

Sakura sighed as she clutched the folders close to her chest, she couldn't even remember the last time she'd worn a decent pair of heels. Her entire wardrobe had been overwrought with sweatpants, hoodies, and scrubs in more colors than many people thought possible. Gone were her designer handbags and tailored blazers. Working in the hospital no longer allowed her the income to sustain such a lifestyle. At first, it had been difficult to adjust. At this point in her life, she'd thought she'd be married to a wealthy man and be showered with more money and affection than she knew what to do with.

However, life didn't always work out the way one intends for it to. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing though. She was happy working at the hospital. At least here she was a valued member of the team and her opinions were always taken into consideration. The younger nurses looked up to her and the older ones trusted her implicitly. One day, many years from now if everything worked out, she would be the head of the homeopathy branch. She hoped to gain Tsunade's respect and recognition of their methods by them. Sakura chuckled softly to herself as she approached Tsunade's office door. She had goals now. Real tangible ones that made her feel good about herself. If only the vultures could see her now-

"Are you sure?"

Sakura paused, her hand just a few inches away from knocking on Tsunade's door. She knew that voice. She hadn't heard it in years. Any time the owner's face had popped up on the news she was quick to turn the television to a new channel. When Tsunade had personally and successfully assisted in delivering the owner's third child, nurses and doctors from all departments had filtered in and out of the newborn holding center to get a look at the baby. Sakura had not. Instead, she threw herself into doing more work just to distract herself from the happiness taking place one building over.

She didn't want to see them. She didn't want to see her. Hinata Hyuuga. The woman living the life she was supposed to have. Yet here she was. The small gap in the door allowed Sakura to see the back of Hinata who sat rigid in her seat. Tsunade's concerned eyes weren't looking at Hinata though. Instead, she was focused on the black filmy photographs of various x-rays splayed out on her desk.

"I wish that I could come up with another answer for you Hinata but everything checks out clear." Tsunade sighed, her eyebrows knitting together as she did so. "Her brain scans read normally. There was no physical damage to her temporal lobes. Has she made any improvements with therapy?"

"No…I'm not sure what else to do." Hinata replied.

"You say 'I'. What does Sasuke think of this? Is there a history of such conditions happening within the clan?"

Sakura watched as Hinata slowly shook her head and felt guilty for eavesdropping. She knew that she shouldn't. This was clearly a private matter between her and Tsunade and Tsunade hardly ever took on private patients. The only people she worked with in a general sense were the Uzumaki and Senju families. This wasn't something she should be listening in on but she couldn't help herself. Tsunade let out a short breath and looked up from the x-rays on her desk.

"In any case, it would be best to get her signed up for some language courses. At her age, she will take to it like a fish in water and maybe show signs of improvement."

"How long will this continue?"

"Physically she is fine. I'm not sure how long this phase will last. An experience such as this is traumatic enough for an adult-"

A sudden ringing interrupted the blonde woman and made both Hinata and Sakura jump. Hinata shook off her surprise quickly and dug around in the purse on her lap for her cellphone. Once she'd retrieved it she swiped to answer the call and pressed the device to her ear. She only made a few nods of understanding before hanging up the phone and returning it to her purse. Tsunade leaned back and folded her arms across her generous chest.

"Hiro again?" Tsunade sighs and Hinata slowly nodded her head.

"I'm sorry but I'll have to end our meeting now."

"It's alright. I'll send you a copy of these files in the mail. If you need anything else or if Hikari displays any changes please don't hesitate to call."

"Thank you, Tsunade." Hinata said with a deep bow in her chair before turning to her right. "Time to go Hikari."

For the first time, Sakura noticed that the second chair in front of Tsunade's desk wasn't empty. Little legs popped down to dangle from the chair before getting down completely. As Hinata bowed to Tsunade, the little figure walked around the chair and immediately made contact with her. The little girl pulled nervously at the front of her pale blue kindergarten smock with small hands and waited patiently for her mother to finish up with her pleasantries. The sight of her made Sakura take a few steps back, alerting the child to her presence. Flat obsidian eyes scrutinized her through the gap, causing Sakura to turn away entirely from the child.

With her back turned to the office there was some shuffling as the office door was pushed open but thankfully the wood blocked Hinata from seeing her. Sakura remained hidden, listening intently to their footsteps drawing further and further away. When she was sure that Hinata and her daughter were no longer within earshot, she eased her way into Tsunade's office.

"Tsunade," Sakura called, hoping her voice didn't betray the internal nervousness that was wracking her guilty body.

Tsunade looked up from the scans on her desk, surprised to even see her there.

"Oh, Sakura. Has Tokai sent you to bully me into signing something? Just let me put these away first then let's get to business."

… **.**

 **Thursday September 31 2029 6:00pm**

 **Uchiha Compound- Main House**

 **...**

"Hiroto." Hinata frowned as she regarded the child sitting across from her at the table.

Hiroto slumped down in the high backed mahogany chair, an utterly bored expression on his face. Scattered between them were papers, specifically his school work, all marked up in red. It was an unusual sight to see such poor grades come out of her second son. He and Hajime normally did very well in school. They loved to learn and Fugaku had been very diligent in fostering that curiosity. He took them to museums and libraries after school and helped them complete big school projects.

On more than one occasion he'd gushed with pride over how intelligent his grandsons were. He would be shocked to see the marks Hiroto was getting now. Hinata picked up a spelling test and frowned at the bold red zero at the top. Hiroto had only written his name on the paper. He didn't even attempt to spell out any of the words for the test.

"You normally love spelling and vocabulary. What happened?" Hinata asked but Hiroto only shrugged and looked away.

"It's not the same."

"What's not the same?"

Hiroto shrugged again at her question. Somehow her children thought she could read their minds, especially as of late. Hinata put the spelling test back on the dining room table and sighed.

"I'll make some calls to see if we can find a tutor for you." She said and Hiroto sat up straight in his seat.

"No!" he shouted.

"Hiro, these grades are not good. If you're struggling in school it's okay. We just need to get some extra help."

"No! I don't want a tutor!"

"Hiro-"

"No!" he shouted again, climbing out of his chair and walking away from the table. "I'm not studying with anyone that isn't Papa."

"Hiroto come back here!" Hinata called after him but was only met with the sound of angry feet thundering up the staircase.

She winced at the subsequent slam of Hiroto's bedroom door. What was she going to do with him? The child therapist said outbursts like this would happen but that fact didn't make her feel any better.

Underneath the table, she heard a small sniff and the rustle of clothing. Hinata smiled and crouched down to crawl under the furniture. Sitting on the floor was Hikari with a large picture book in her lap. Silently, she ran her right hand over a vibrant red carp swimming on the page.

"Kari," she said and the five-year-old looked up from her book. "Would you like to help me with dinner?"

Hikari nodded her head and closed her book. She then crawled out from under the table, taking Hinata's outstretched hand.

"What would you like for dinner?" Hinata asked as they left the dining room to head into the kitchen. Hikari silently shrugged her shoulders. "Would you like pasta?"

Hikari shook her head.

"How about fish sticks?"

Again she shook her head.

"Chicken nuggets?"

At that suggestion, Hikari nodded her head emphatically causing Hinata to smile.

"Alright then, chicken nuggets it is."

The rest of the evening thankfully passed by smoothly. Well as smoothly as she could hope for. While Hikari devoured her dinner, the twins pushed chicken nuggets around on their plate and maybe a total of three pieces of broccoli between them. When they were being picky like this Sasuke was the one who got them to eat their food. However, she rolled over and noted the late hour on the digital clock in her daughter's room, Sasuke wasn't here to help.

He was hardly ever home now. Most days he slept at the office. If he did come home it was only to sleep and shower. When saw him, which was now only in passing since she'd stopped working to take care of Hikari, it was almost like she didn't exist. They didn't even share the same bed anymore since Hikari suffered from night terrors and couldn't sleep alone. Hajime and Hiroto had also picked up on their father's negative energy and kept away from him whenever he was home.

Hinata rolled back over towards Hikari and ran her fingers through the sleeping girl's hair. The raven locks she'd detangled during bath time were already working themselves back into knots with all of her tossing and turning. How much longer would life be like this? How many more nights would she spend without her husband? When would things return to the way they used to be? A small voice in the back of her head, one that she'd been trying to ignore for her own sanity, whispered never. Things would never be the same. After her mother had died and her uncle shortly thereafter, her father had never been the same. She had vague memories of digging in the garden with him. Once she'd even seen him laugh, although that might have only been in a dream. If her father was never able to fully move one what kind of fate did that leave her little family? The passing of Mikoto and Fugaku had created a rift between them all and Hinata wasn't sure how to fix it.

The sound of rummaging downstairs jolted Hinata from her thoughts and up from the bed. It was much too late for the twins to be rummaging around in the fridge. They didn't have much of an appetite earlier though. As the rustling got more aggressive, Hinata eased her way out of the bed and placed pillows around Hikari so it would mimic a person sleeping next to her. Carefully she tiptoed out of the room, jumping slightly when she heard the sound of breaking glass. Now panicked, Hinata flew down the stairs and down the hall to the kitchen. If one of the twins had cut themselves the first aid kit was too high for them to reach. She made it to the kitchen in no time but instead of her boys, she found Sasuke tossing a shard of broken glass into the sink.

"Dammit." He muttered and turned back to the cabinet to get a new glass.

"Sasuke…you're home." She said, an uncomfortable lump rising in her throat as she did so.

Sasuke grunted and set the newly retrieved glass on the kitchen island. He then started rifling through a plastic grocery bag Hinata had never seen before and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. It only took him a second to unscrew the top and pour a healthy amount into his glass.

"I received an email today about Hiroto's grades." He said dry, swirling the dark liquor. Hinata bit her bottom lip and nodded her head.

"His teachers would like to have a conference with both of us."

"I don't have time to take out of my day to fix something you should be able to handle yourself." He snapped, causing Hinata's eyes to widen.

"Hiro is going through a tough time right now but he does not want a tutor-"

"Is it up to him to decide such a thing? He's ten."

"We can't force him to do things he's uncomfortable with right now. The therapist-"

"That fucking quack." Sasuke sneered and downed his whiskey in one gulp. "How long has Hikari been going to her and there's been no improvement? Get a new therapist. Get a tutor."

"Hikari's finally started feeling comfortable around this one. It will be difficult for her to change suddenly."  
"Figure it out Hinata." He growled and poured himself some more to drink. "You're their mother."

"I'm your wife as well. You can't just order me around like one of your subordinates. If you were home more often we could deal with these things together as a husband and wife are supposed to do."

Sasuke glared at her from over the rim of his glass for a moment, clearly dissatisfied with her rebuttal against him. She didn't back down or walk away though. It felt good to talk to him even if they were on the verge of an argument.

"Sasuke." She started, taking a few steps towards the island where he stood. "I understand that this has been impossibly difficult for you. Maybe it would be best to take some time off…maybe spend some more time here with the children…and me."

His eyes softened slightly at her suggestion but once he closed and reopened his eyes the affection was gone. He took a large gulp of whiskey, grimacing at the taste of the bitter liquor.

"I can't." he said finally when he finished off his second drink. "The elders in the clan have been busy. They are calling into question the legality of me being the head."

"What? That doesn't make any sense."

"It doesn't but when enough people get together they can force others to believe the sky isn't blue."

"Is this why you haven't been home?"

Hinata watched as his shoulders slumped and a deep breath was released from his chest. Slowly she walked around the island and hesitantly placed a hand on his forearm. He tensed under her touch, evidence that their physical contact had dwindled to nonexistent. She noted that he didn't move away though so there had to be some hope left there. Selfishly, she pressed on.

"Would it be so bad if you were to step down? Itachi could always take your place."

"Hinata." He sighed and attempted to slip his arm away from her but she held firm.

"Would it? Would it really be so terrible? Sasuke, our children really need you right now. _I_ need you."

Sasuke opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by a high pitched shriek from upstairs. Hinata closed her eyes and removed her hand from Sasuke's arm in defeat. She wasn't going to be able to persuade Sasuke one way or the other tonight. It could be argued that there was at least some value in being able to voice her frustration. Whether he actually took her words into account was another thing. With a tired sigh, she left the kitchen to go comfort her daughter who'd found herself alone in the dark.

 **...**

 **Friday October 1 2029 12:02am**

 **Uchiha Compound- Main House**

… **.**

Sasuke frown as he watched his wife retreat from the kitchen and the screams of Hikari echoed through the house. He could hear the creaking of multiple doors being opened and the sounds of feet scrambling of feet to get to her. To comfort her. To make her feel safe. He wanted to reach out to her as well but each time he did, something stopped him. Whether it was his own work or the ever-present depression that nibbled on the edges of his consciousness, something always prevented him from going to her. What right did he have to comfort her anyway? As her father, he was supposed to keep her safe. When bad things happened he was supposed to be able to fix them. Yet…he was utterly useless to her. He couldn't change what happened that night. He couldn't bring his parents back. He couldn't return Hikari's voice.

 _Vvvvvvvvvvrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrbbbbbbbbb_

The Uchiha looked down at his phone vibrating violently facedown against the gray granite countertop. He put his now empty glass, curious as to who would be calling him so late at night. He flipped the phone over and his eyes immediately narrowed at the contact number listed. _The Brat._ What could Hanabi want at this hour? His lips twitched downward slightly as he swiped to accept the call. Immediately his head was filled with the sound of panicked breathing.

"Hello?" he asked when the person on the other end didn't say anything. "Hello? Hanabi?"

"Sasuke." She whimpered.

"Hanabi what is it?"

Before the Hyuuga could even respond to his question, he was already making his way out of the kitchen. Whatever was going on she'd probably tried to call Neji and Hinata first but neither one of them had answered. The best thing to do would be to get the phone upstairs to Hinata.

"Sasuke." She started again, just as his foot hit the first step of the staircase. "Sasuke.

"Sasuke…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…"

 _ **To be Continued….**_

 **V is for Patches**

 _At thirty-six_ _years old she shouldn't still be this embarrassed to buy lingerie_ _…_


	22. V is for Patches

**CCNote : Sorry for making some of you cry with the last chapter. Does it get better…kinda? I guess? Things change, life happens. As with the summary, nothing stays the same no matter how much we wish for it to. I am highly flattered to have brought forth some emotions with my writing! It's the biggest compliment you could give an author. I'm also am happy that so many people are enjoying my writing style lol. I write the way I wish to read so I'm so happy some people like it!**

 **Anywho, my thirds years are now taking their exit exams and will be gone by the end of the week. Most won't return to school until it's time for graduation in March. Our last class had some tears and lots of 'I love you's', I'm wishing my babies the best of luck in their future endeavors! In the meantime, I now have huge holes of time in my day but it's being eaten away with Valentine's Day Letter Exchanges (aka making sure they write school appropriate shit) and planning a trip to South Korea. IDK when I'll be able to update like I used to but hopefully it's soon. So without further ado, please enjoy! Don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **V is for Patches**

 **Friday April 27 2029 6:31pm**

 **Little Chrysanthemum Ballet Studio**

… **.**

"Oh, Fugaku I think they're going to open the doors now!"

Mikoto stood on her tiptoes, stretching to her full height in a vain attempt to see over the people in front of her. Even though she knew it was impractical for such a casual event she regretted listening to her husband and forgoing her heels for flats. Spilling out of the side doors of the auditorium were dozens of little girls adorned uniformly in pink tulle and leotards. They scrambled between the legs of the adults, excited to have performed on stage for the first time. Hikari was small for her age but she had no trouble elbowing her way through the crowd to reach them with a huge smile on her face. Once she had them in her sights, she immediately launched herself at Fugaku who was more than used to the torpedo treatment.

"Did you see me, Papa? Did you see me?" she asked as he picked her up in his arms.

"Of course I did! There was nothing else to look at but you!" he smiled and Hikari's eyes widened.

"I was good right?"

"You did very well."

"I'm the best right?"

"Is there anyone better?"

Mikoto giggled at the banter between her granddaughter and husband. If Fugaku kept this up, Hikari would grow into a woman with an even bigger ego than her father. The former matriarch's smile widened at the prospect. It didn't matter if Hikari's ego was inflated to the size of the moon, if she was able to make her husband smile like that she'd let it happen. Fugaku looked over at her and smirked as if he'd been reading her thoughts the entire time. They'd been together for so long it wouldn't surprise her if he actually could. With a grunt, he adjusted Hikari securely on his hip and held out his hand for her to take it. Slowly he led the three of them through the crowd and out to the parking lot where their driver was waiting.

"I have your performance recorded. Would you like to watch it in the car?" Mikoto asked and Hikari nodded her head emphatically.

"Yes please! Then we can show my mommy and daddy and Hiro and Haji and Honoka and Uncle Naruto and Ito and Aunt Ino and-"

"Yes, yes. We'll be sure to show everyone." Mikoto laughed, interrupting Hikari before she rattled off the names of every person she'd ever met in her short five years of life.

"Did you make sure your thumb wasn't in the way?" Fugaku teased.

"That was only one time!"

"Well, that made us miss out on Haji's winning word."

"I don't think he's forgiven me for that quite yet." Mikoto sighed and her husband's laugh echoed through the night.

"I don't believe he ever will."

Mikoto smiled as she recalled Hajime's shocked face when the last quarter of his spelling bee video consisted of nothing but muffled noise and her finger over the lens. The final word had been 'saccharine', a word that even she had no idea how to spell. Hajime, on the other hand, had spelled the word without a moment's hesitation.

"Haji will forgive you. He forgives Daddy all the time for burning the cookies and he forgave me and Hiroto for killing his old fish and his new fish." Hikari said as they approached their black town car. Their driver was already standing next to the car, dutifully holding the door open.

"Perhaps we should stop buying him fish since you two kill them all?" Fugaku said with a shake of his head.

"It was an accident. We said sorry." The five-year-old replied with a shrug of her shoulders as Fugaku put her down on the ground.

Hikari immediately scrambled into the town car and began buckling herself into her booster seat. Just as Mikoto was about to follow her in, Fugaku placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him, unsure of what gave him pause, but as soon as their eyes connected she knew why. Those same obsidian orbs he'd passed down to their sons and their grandchildren were like an open book. There was an unspoken apology, one that she didn't need or want. There was sadness for the life that they could have- should have had. Above all else there was happiness and that was the only thing she'd wished to see in his eyes since the day she married him.

Slowly, her lips parted into a smile and she placed her own hand over his. Without a word she gave his hand a small squeeze before letting him go and slipping into the car. They had never been ones for sweet words that were laced with sweet 'I love you's'. Fugaku closed the door behind her before getting into the passenger's seat.

"Hey, Papa." Hikari asked as the driver put his key into the ignition and brought the town car roaring to life. "Do you think Haji and Hiro and Ito and Honoka are sleeping?"

"I doubt it. If they haven't driven the staff crazy, I'd say they're waiting up for you."

"I hope so! Ito has a new video game. He has only two controllers but he promised me that I could play it. He said he'd show me how to be better than Hiro. Hiro is really good a video games right?"

Mikoto smiled and started removing the thousands of bobby pins that had been used to put her granddaughter's hair in a bun.

"Oh, Hiro is very very very good." Mikoto said and Hikari gasped.

"Really?"

"Really. However, I don't see why you can't be better."

Hikari clapped her hands together, a look of determination in her dark eyes.

"I'll beat him! I won't let Ito sleep until I'm better than Hiro!"

"I'm sure the little fox will be more than willing to get out of going to bed. The boy has endless reserves of energy." Fugaku replied.

For a moment, Hikari was satisfied with remaining silent and sitting like a good girl as Mikoto undid her hair. The raven locks fell down to her shoulders and when the last bobby pin was gone, the older woman gently massaged her scalp with the pads of her fingers. If only Hikari's namesake could see her now. Her best friend would have been more than content to play in her granddaughter's hair and know that the daughters she left behind were happy and healthy. Happiness. That was all Hikari Hyuuga had hoped for her daughters to attain.

"Next time..." Hikari said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Next time will mommy and daddy come to see me too?"

Mikoto smiled, sliding her fingers out of her granddaughter's hair to playfully attempt pinching her cheeks. As Hikari giggled at the treatment, out of the corner of her eye she noticed a bright white light barreling towards them. Outside of the car, horns blared loudly and tires screeched against the pavement. For the briefest of moments, she caught the reflection of her husband's eyes in the windshield and her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. Quickly, Mikoto unbuckled her own seatbelt and placed herself between Hikari and the white light that engulfed the car.

"Hikari. Look at me. Only me-"

… **.**

 **Saturday November 5** **th** **2029 1:00pm**

 **Uchiha Compound- Main House**

… **.**

Sasuke let out a short breath as he steadied the cello between his legs. Absently he slid his fingers against the instrument's taunt string, not yet ready to make it sing. It had been years since he'd ever laid eyes on his cello. Nearly ten years since the last time he'd plucked at its strings. Life had gotten in the way of his practice. There had been diapers to change and board meetings to attend. There had been days so blissful sometimes he'd have to remind himself that his life was a dream. Other days he'd been so depressed he couldn't even respond to the emails that had been marked as important by his staff. Those days were all that consumed him now. Every day blended together with a uniform grayness, no distinction from one hour to the next.

His lips pursed into a tight line as his fingers gripped the neck of the cello, notes frozen on their tips. Taking a deep breath, he dragged his bow across the strings and shivered at the sour note. Why was he doing this? Why did everything, even breathing, hurt so much? In the back of his mind, he knew the answer his brother would give him. He'd tell him he was being foolish. To Itachi, he had always been a fool…

… _."You need to learn when to stop." Itachi reprimanded from the kitchen._

 _Sasuke rolled his eyes and slumped further into the couch. It was easy for Itachi to swoop in out of the blue and think he knew everything. He looked down at his upturned palms and tried to will his fingers to move._

" _Didn't I tell you to stop." Itachi said and Sasuke nearly jumped out of his skin. Why the hell was his brother so quiet?_

" _It's not like it hurts." He grumbled in an attempt to save face._

 _Itachi only shook his head and placed two bags of ice into his hands. Sasuke shivered at the cold, glaring at his brother for the torment. Stupid Itachi._

" _If you have something to say you should say it."_

" _Hn."_

" _Well then, if you have nothing of importance to say." Itachi sniffed. "Tell me why you're pushing yourself like this?"_

 _Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and looked away from his elder's probing eyes. It's not like Itachi would understand the need to practice. He was already good at everything. He was the best at school, got tons of academic awards, and everyone in their clan respected him. Most of all he got the acknowledgment of their father. Their father never had time for him, a mere spare, but he always had time for Itachi. The only time their father even looked his way was when he did something wrong. He didn't want that kind of attention though. He wanted his father to look at him like he did Itachi. In order to do that he had to be better than Itachi. To be better than Itachi meant that he had to practice-_

" _Sasuke." Itachi growled, breaking the preteen from his thoughts. "If you don't tell me why I'll tell Mother your hands have cramped."_

" _You wouldn't understand."_

" _Foolish little brother." Itachi smirked and poked him in the middle of his forehead._

" _Hey!" Sasuke protested, nearly letting go of the ice bags to cover his forehead. "What did you do that for?"_

" _No one will ever be able to understand you if you don't let them."…._

….No one will ever be able to understand you if you don't let them. Those words had never been truer than when it came to Itachi. No matter how hard he tried to, Sasuke was never quite able to understand his brother due to that simple reason. Itachi had never let him understand. With a sigh he stopped playing, leaning back in his chair. Why? Why didn't he say anything? Why did he do this? Why- a small tug on the sleeve of his shirt broke him from his thoughts and brought him tumbling back down to reality. At his right, two big black eyes stared up at him imploringly.

"Hikari." He said, her name catching uncomfortably in his throat.

She blinked at him and silently tugged at his clothing. At times like these, he wished that Hinata was around to figure out what Hikari wanted. She and Hiroto were the only ones who seemed to intuitively know what she wanted without her devolving into tears of frustration. The fact that he had no idea how to care for his daughter the way she needed to be only added to wrenching of his stomach. As little fingers continued to pull at his sleeve, he started to lower his arm to put down his bow. Hikari immediately started shaking her head at the retraction and tried to push his arm back up. Sasuke looked at the five-year-old curiously, unsure of what it is that she wanted from him.

"What is it Hikari?" he asked and she opened her mouth to answer him.

When no sound came out, she closed her mouth and scrunched up her face. Emphatically she pointed at the instrument which was nearly twice her size. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the clearer but still odd request. The children's playroom was just below the family library. She must have been able to hear him playing. The corner of his lips twitched as one of her little hands started hitting his forearm while the other continued to point at his cello.

"As bossy as always." Sasuke smirked and she puffed out her cheeks at the comment.

Experimentally, Sasuke played a short 'C' note and Hikari's eyes widened. When he played a longer 'C' her mouth fell open. Now emboldened by her amazement he played a short little tune and her eyes lit up. The melody was only for a few seconds but it was more than sufficient to spark a light of happiness in those big obsidian eyes. Suddenly, a bit of the tension he'd been feeling started to loosen.

"Hikari do you like this?" he asked. "Would you like to learn?"

His daughter eagerly nodded her head. Sasuke smirked at her enthusiasm, reminded immediately of Hinata's reaction when he'd first played his cello for her. She had been just as amazed by the instrument as Hikari was now. That had been almost ten years ago but it felt like a lifetime. Placing his bow down on the ground, Sasuke straightened his cello between his legs and motioned for Hikari to stand in front of him.

"This is a cello." He said and Hikari gave him a short nod of understanding, soaking in every syllable. "This note is 'C'."

He plucked at the thickest string.

"This is 'A'."

… **.**

 **Saturday November 5 2029 1:00pm**

 **DayBreak Coffee**

… **...**

"Ah, that was great!" Ino sighed as she plopped down into a chair at their table. "We should really do this more often."

"I'm surprised you even have time for something like this seeing as how you have to help run the country and all." Tenten grinned mischievously as Ino frantically waved a hand in front of her face, desperate for Tenten to lower her voice.

Hinata giggled at their antics, knowing all the while that Ino was ultimately safe. Tenten's old place of employment was nearly empty save for themselves and the employees. Her usual bodyguards were in plain clothes and appeared to just be loitering outside of the tiny coffee shop but were really deterring people from entering. For added 'coverage' she'd taken to putting her easily distinguishable blonde hair up into a purple knitted cap and wore extra-large shades that hid nearly two-thirds of her face. It wasn't that she minded being spotted in public per se. It was being spotted going to the places they'd been to today. Hinata blushed and eyed the stiff, glossy black bags sitting in the empty chair next to her. No, it certainly wouldn't do for the public to see the Hokage's wife doing _that_ …

… _When was the last time she'd been to a place like this? Hinata gulped as she took in the seductively dressed mannequins. Each time she'd been to an establishment like this she'd practically been dragged in. The first time had been by Sasuke for her birthday and the last being Hanabi. That last excursion had made her swear off entering another lingerie boutique again._

" _Come on Hinata." Ino said in a hurried whisper as she looked up and down the sidewalk. "We can't just stand here all day._

 _No…no they couldn't. On the off chance that anyone with ulterior motives recognized Ino it would turn an awkward day into a bad one. Reluctantly, she followed Ino and Tenten into the heavily perfumed shop and prayed that her heart would stop beating so fast. At almost thirty-six years old it was unbelievable that she was still this embarrassed._

 _The inside of the shop was shockingly pink with shades of said color dripping with drapery from the ceiling. It almost gave one the feeling of being inside of a tent, a supposed sense of security and secrecy. Unfortunately, that sense wasn't getting across to the matriarch, all she felt was claustrophobic. The scantily clad mannequins held nothing to the risqué young women that attended the shop. It was one thing to see nighties on an inanimate object, it was a whole other thing to see them on women ten years younger than her. Just as she was about to bolt, Ino looped her arm through hers and dragged her further into the shop._

" _Ino, maybe we should go somewhere else." Hinata whispered worriedly as the blonde dragged her over to a table where Tenten was already rifling through neatly folded panties. "Are you sure it's okay for you to be here?"_

" _Hm? Of course, it is." She replied with a shrug and removed her sunglasses and hat._

 _Hinata eyed a young curly haired woman changing out the bra on a nearby mannequin. She wasn't paying them any attention but Hinata still felt a bit unsettled._

" _What if someone recognizes you?" she asked and Ino flashed her a smile._

" _They know me here of course." She chuckled and leaned in close. "I'd say that most of the women here are the mistresses of some very influential men. They set them up here to work and visit under the guise of buying something nice for their wives. They're very helpful, would you like for one of them to size you? Your bust has gotten smaller did you know that?"_

" _W-what?" she stammered, her face heating up once more. "I…I don't know about this-"_

" _It's fine Hinata I swear." Ino reassured and tilted her head towards the curly haired woman dressing the mannequin. "She's been the mistress to the Mizukage for almost three years. She likes hot chocolate and has like three cats. The redheaded girl behind the counter just started here a couple of weeks ago. She's with the head ambassador to the Raikage. Pretty funny, keeps to herself mostly-"_

" _Okay, okay I get it. How do you know so much?"_

 _Ino turned away from her and shrugged, reaching out to grab a pair of dark purple panties._

" _Secrets are powerful. That and Naruto keeps ripping my underwear so I'm a pretty frequent customer."…._

….'I wonder if Sasuke will have a similar reaction.' Hinata thought to herself but immediately pushed away the thought. It was much too inappropriate for a coffee shop! Besides…Sasuke hadn't been the same lately.

"What are you blushing about Hina?" Tenten asked with a suspicious quirk of her eyebrow.

"Hmmm, I bet she's having dirty thoughts!" Ino chuckled. "Do share."

Hinata felt her entire face begin to burn at Ino's open perversion while Tenten only crossed her arms over her chest.

"Only you like to hear about other people's sex lives as if you don't already have an active one of your own."

"Whats the point of having girlfriends if you can't hear about all of their dirty details."

"Oh, Ino." Tenten groaned, a small smile breaking through her usual even-keel demeanor.

"In any case, you should definitely take my advice Ten. I swear it works." Ino replied and the woman in question rolled her eyes.

"I don't need to seduce my husband."

"And why not? It's fun for everyone."

"You're a pervert."

"So?"

Hinata smiled as the two of them continued to bicker back and forth. She missed this. She missed spending time with her friends when it was just the three of them. It was almost like how it used to be. Before they got married. Before they had children. Before obligations crept in and drifted them away from one another from time to time. It wasn't so bad. In a strange way, the paths their lives had gone had brought them even closer than they were previously. In fact, they were a real family now. However, it was nice to be able to laugh with each other with the children underfoot or a husband interrupting their conversation. It was nice.

"Your drinks are ready!" Announced a petite waitress carrying a steaming tray of caffeine on a tray.

She set a cup of green tea in front of Tenten and a caramel macchiato for Ino. A cup of black tea was placed in front of herself and Hinata could already feel her muscles relaxing. She hadn't had a peaceful cup of tea in months. Any time she found herself with a lull in her day there was always something else that needed her immediate attention. Quickly she brought the mug to her lips and savored the tea as it went down. As the bell above the café door jingled, Hinata felt her eyes slide shut. This tea was too good.

"Wow. No honey. No sugar. You sure have a changed." A familiar voice said and Hinata's eyes popped open.

Standing before them was Sakura Haruno, a woman that she'd once considered a close friend. A woman Hinata imagined still hated her guts since she refused to attend any events if she was going to be there. Sure she said she had hospital duty but Hinata doubted that Sakura was on duty for every single one of Ito's birthdays. Yet, despite the cold shoulder for the last ten years, the woman was still smiling brightly at her. Her overall appearance hadn't changed much. She was still stunningly beautiful with green eyes that she'd always secretly envied.

"Why don't you pull up a chair?" Tenten asked but Sakura shook her head and adjusted the black messenger bag hanging from her shoulder.

"Sorry but I can't." she said with a smile. "I just got done with a shift and my mom wants to have me over for dinner. She swears she never sees me enough. I just thought I'd stop by because Ino said you were here and since it's only a block from my mom's house I thought I'd say hi."

"Busy, busy, busy." Ino sighed, wiping the whip cream mustache off of her upper lip with a napkin. "Always busy."

"You're one to talk." Sakura laughed before turning her eyes back to Hinata "Actually…I do have another reason for showing up like this."

Hinata watched as her former friend opened her messenger bag and rummaged around in its contents. After a moment she pulled out a plain manilla envelope and handed to her. Hesitantly, Hinata took the folder, unsure of whether or not she wanted to open it.

"It won't bite you I swear." Sakura laughed, adjusting her bag again. "Everything is paid in full as well. It's not equal but hey, I do only work at a hospital. Anyway, see ya ladies."

Sakura waved them goodbye and before Hinata could even collect her thoughts she was gone. She didn't even get a chance to say 'thank you.'

"What was that all about?" Tenten asked as the café bell rang with Sakura's departure.

"Yea…are you two even talking again?" Ino inquired.

Hinata shook her head. She was just as confused as they were. Slowly she opened up the folder and the very first thing she saw was a flyer for a children's class. More specifically it was a class for sign language. A lump caught in her throat. How did Sakura know about Hikari? Did Tsunade tell her? No…Tsunade would never do that. If not Tsunade then who? How?

Tsunade had floated the idea of getting Hikari into a sign language course but she'd been putting it off. Part of her still hoped that her daughter would start speaking again. There was nothing wrong with her….nothing wrong. Yet, every day she watched Hikari struggle to communicate. It frustrated the five-year-old to the point of tears to not be able to say anything. Hinata sighed and closed the folder. What her daughter needed wasn't hope…she needed help. Perhaps this could be a way to finally get her back to the vibrant girl she'd been only a few months before.

… **.**

 **Saturday November 5 2029 3:07pm**

 **Uchiha Compound- Main House**

… **.**

Hinata smiled tightly and waved at the clan members she passed as she walked through the compound. She answered their pleasantries with more of her own but all the while keeping in mind how easily their opinions could be swayed. People, she realized, were fickle creatures. With a sigh, she walked up the path to her own house and quickly unlocked the door. While most of her day had been fun, Sakura's 'gift' had reminded her of the obligations she had at home. Hikari was probably hungry and Sasuke would have no clue what to do with her. She needed to wrangle Hajime into doing something other than just reading and make sure that Hiroto actually did read.

However, upon opening the door to the house she'd expected the usual silence of everyone off to their own devices. Instead she heard the sounds of delighted yelling emanating from the kitchen. Abandoning her bags in the foyer, she quickly removed her shoes and made her way through the house to figure out what was going on.

"Dammit Hiro!" she heard her husband curse as she made her way down the hall, the smell of something beginning to burn accompanying the less than ideal word.

"Ooo I'm telling Mother you said a bad word!"

"Yea I'm telling her too!"

Hinata peeked her head around the corner and saw her usually pristine kitchen in shambles. Chocolate handprints were on every surface, a thin layer of flour coating the room. Two chocolate splattered ten-year-olds ran around the kitchen, dodging their equally messy father. Hikari sat on top of the granite island, clapping her hands with excitement at the Uchiha men rushing around her. Every so often she would reach into the opened egg carton next to her and drop an egg on the floor.

"What is going on here?" Hinata demanded, horrified at the state of anarchy that was occurring.

Her husband immediately stopping chasing the twins but the boys ran towards her. Sticky, chocolate covered hands tugged on her clothing as they both tried to get her attention at once. Hikari dropped another egg onto the floor.

"Your children are terrible." Sasuke said as he threw a dirty dish towel over his shoulder.

"Nuh uh! Father said a bad word." Hiroto said and Hajime frantically nodded his head.

"Yea and he's burned the brownies." The elder twin added.

Hikari dropped an egg.

Hinata's eyes widened as the smell of something burning in the oven. Quickly she jumped into action and turned off the oven and opened the oven door. Black smoke billowed out and engulfed the kitchen in a pungent order despite her immediately reclosing the door. A telltale crack from behind her let her know that Hikari had dropped yet another egg on the floor. Hinata turned around and picked a flour dusted Hikari up off of the counter and set her back down on the floor.

"Hajime. Hiroto. Go help Hikari get cleaned up." She said and the boys immediately sprang into action.

They each grabbed one of the youngest Uchiha's hands and shepherded the confused girl out of the room before she realized she couldn't crack any more eggs. As the children departed Hinata turned back to the mess in the kitchen, already feeling fatigued by the daunting task that lay before her.

"How did this happen?" she sighed as she picked up a bowl of half-used brownie mix and started placing utensils inside of it.

"The twins decided that they wanted to bake on their own. Somewhere in the middle of doing so, they got into a fight." Sasuke replied simply, leaning back onto the counter next to the sink with his arms crossed over his chest. "Why are you cleaning this up? They are old enough to clean up after themselves."

Hinata bit her bottom lip to keep herself from retorting and brushed past him to get to the sink. Sure the boys were old enough now to clean this mess up but she partially blamed herself. If she'd been home the boys wouldn't have felt the need to try to cook something for themselves. They would have come to her instead of wrecking her kitchen and nearly burning the house down. She reached out to turn on the faucet but Sasuke grabbed her wrist.

"Hinata." He said. "Stop. They can clean this."

"If I'd been home-"

"If you had been home they would have found something else to get into. They're ten. That's what they do."

"They need someone watching them."

"What they need is for you to stop hovering."

"I'm not hovering-"

"Yes, you are."

Hinata snatched her wrist away from him and moved away from the sink since he wouldn't let her turn it on. Instead, she started gathering more dirty dishes from off of the counter.

"They don't need you to do everything for them. If you keep treating them like babies they will not know how to rely on themselves."

"Well, who else do they have to rely on? You?" Hinata snapped, the words tumbling from her lips before she could stop herself. Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed as he pushed away from the countertop.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked but it came out as more of a demand.

"Nothing."

"Hinata." He said, taking a few steps closer to her. His footsteps echoed off of the kitchen tiles.

Hinata looked away and tried to skirt away from him. Her avoidance was futile as he grabbed her upper arm and whirled her around to face him.

"Sasuke-" she gasped and unsuccessfully tried to break away but his grip was too tight.

"What do you mean?" he growled, ignoring the clatter of dishes that she dropped on the floor in surprise.

"Let me go!"

"Answer me dammit!"

Without thinking, Hinata used her free hand to slap him and the sting of the hit caused him to immediately let go of her. She took a step back but found her path impeded by the kitchen island. Holding her stinging hand to her heaving chest, she watched as Sasuke pieced together the fact that she'd struck him. Slowly, he raised a hand up to gingerly touch his rapidly reddening cheek.

"You shouldn't curse." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

 **….**

"Thank you for taking them on such short notice." Hinata said as she handed Neji a small green bookbag covered in dinosaur stickers.

He took the bag from her and put his arm through one of the straps to have it hang from his back. It was odd to see Neji with a dinosaur bookbag on his back, especially since he was starting to have an uncanny resemblance to her father as the years went by.

"It's no problem. Honoka enjoys having people around her own age." Neji said with a slight nod to the car parked in front of their house.

Hinata smiled knowingly as she brought her now empty arms protectively around herself. There weren't too many children running around the Hyuuga compound and her father wasn't the best playmate for a little girl. Any time that the Hyuga heiress got a chance to spend time with her cousins was more than welcome. Even so, she hated imposing upon Neji at the last minute like this. This was also the first night the children had spent away from home since the accident. She'd already explained to Tenten Hikari's night time routine but that didn't stop her from worrying. Nor did it stop Hikari from crying inconsolably as her brothers got her into the backseat of the car.

"Are you alright Hinata?" Neji asked and she quickly gave him a stiff nod. He didn't buy it. "Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying, I promise. Everything is fine." She reassured but Neji remained unconvinced.

It didn't matter that she was no longer apart of the Hyuuga clan, the mother of three children, or the matriarch of a clan of her own. She would always be someone he wanted to protect. Smiling at her cousin's default nature, she uncrossed her arms and wrapped them around him instead. Neji was never much of a hugger so he didn't return the gesture but it was comforting to be close to him like this.

"Be safe getting back to the compound." She said and let him go.

He still eyed her suspiciously but didn't inquire any further. Once he and the children had driven away, she closed the door to her home. She leaned against the heavy wood and let out a breath she hadn't realized that she'd been holding. She'd only been able to hold her composure long enough to hurriedly pack her children's clothes and send them on their way. They'd never seen her cry before and today would not be the start. As her eyes began to sting she pushed off of the front door and made her way through the house to the living room. From there she slid open the glass door that led to the backyard, once again met with the crispness of a waning summer night.

The backyard of the Uchiha mansion was small. It by no means could ever rival the expansively sprawling grounds of the Hyuuga compound but Hinata found that she enjoyed this garden infinitely more. Neji had allowed her to transplant parts of her mother's carefully cultivated rose bushes and they flourished in this soil. Not only did the roses to well but so did the hydrangeas in the summer and the tulips in the spring. Everything planted in this soil seemed to thrive and multiply and over the years she had been content with its growth. These last few months, however, she'd neglected the garden. Many of her flowers were beginning to droop and none of her roses had yet to bloom for the season. The neglect coupled with the unusually dried summer was taking its toll on her most prized possession.

The burning in her eyes intensified as she looked out at her neglected garden. How had it gotten to be this way? Mikoto would surely chastise her for the state of abandonment. She'd loved this garden almost as much as she did. The thought of her deceased mother-in-law was enough to finally break the dam and once the tears started they racked entire body. Her vision blurred with the flood of tears and she tried to wipe the tears away but to no avail. The only thing she could do was to cover her mouth so the neighbors wouldn't hear her sobs. What was she supposed to do know? How was she supposed to keep her family functioning when it felt that she herself was falling apart?

Mikoto always made things look so easy and effortless. Over the years she'd allowed the woman into her heart…into a position her own mother had once held. Now she was gone, just like her mother. What would she say if she saw her like this? So pathetic…so inept. Some Uchiha matriarch she was, she could hardly keep her family going let alone deal with all of the duties that she'd been neglecting recently. She couldn't even water her own plants. She let out a choked sob, muffled by her own hand.

'Pathetic.' She thought bitterly.

"Hinata." Sasuke called out and she jumped at the sound of his voice.

She hadn't even heard the back door slide open. Frantically she tried her best to wipe away her tears and turned around to face him. He stood on the back deck, his hands shoved into his jean pockets and a slightly rumpled black t-shirt. Even from this distance, she could see that he hadn't dried off his hair properly from his shower and part of her wanted to nag him about it. Didn't he know that he'd catch a cold like that? Yet, even though her mind formed the words she was unable to speak. She had no right to bother him about his health, not after the way she'd treated him earlier. She could still see the evidence starkly contrasting against his pale skin. Her heart began to beat faster, unable to tear her eyes away from the bright red mark on his right cheek. Slowly he stepped down into the garden, his dark eyes steadily remaining on her as he did so. He was only a couple of feet away when he finally spoke.

"You haven't been eating."

Hinata blinked, surprised that those were the first words out of his mouth. She pressed a hand against her flat stomach. She wasn't hungry and her stomach wasn't growling since she'd eaten only a few hours ago at the coffee shop.

"When I…grabbed you earlier." Sasuke started, tearing her away from her perplexity. "Your arm was thinner. All of you is thinner."

"Oh." Hinata mumbled as she pushed some of her hair behind her ear.

Tsunade had been lecturing her about her weight more and more with every appointment for Hikari. Hinata didn't see it as too much of a problem. Sure her clothing was a bit looser but when she looked in the mirror she still looked the same. At least to herself, she did. Sasuke took a step closer to her, grass crunching beneath his soles.

"You haven't been taking care of yourself." He said and Hinata merely shrugged her shoulders, unsure of how to respond. "Why?"

"I…I am…I mean I have been."

"You're lying."

Hinata turned away from him, fighting to keep from crying again. She didn't want to worry him with her own fears and insecurities. She didn't want to be yet another burden. Behind her, she heard the soft crunching of the grass as he crossed the distance between them. He didn't touch her but she could feel the warmth radiating off of his body. This was the closest he'd stood to her in so long…the only time he stood near her seemed to be when they were fighting. Silently, tears finally resumed falling down her cheeks.

"Why?" Sasuke asked, this time his voice was soft and no longer held the same accusatory edge as before.

"Sasuke…what are we doing?" She said, treading carefully with her words.

"What do you mean?" he replied, taking a step back. She shivered at the distance but didn't turn around.

"I…I don't know. I feel like a stranger to you. You don't talk to me. When you are home you close yourself off from me and the children. I don't get it."

"You wouldn't understand."

At those words, Hinata finally whirled around and stared defiantly back at him. How dare he. After being together for over ten years how dare he. What was the point of being married if they kept secrets from one another? What was the point if they didn't trust each other with their feelings? What good was she to him as a wife if he believed that she couldn't understand his innermost thoughts?

"How am I supposed to understand you if you don't let me?" she asked and his lips parted slightly in surprise. "If you don't talk about your feelings you'll end up no better than my father."

Sasuke snorted and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I am nothing like Hiashi."

Hinata raised an eyebrow at that statement but Sasuke deliberately ignored her. She smirked and shook her head. He was like her father in more ways than one and stubbornness against facts that didn't fit their reality was certainly one of them. Boldly, she took a couple of steps towards him to close the distance between them. With shaking fingers she slid her hands up his arms to coax him into uncrossing them. Once he did, she intertwined her fingers with his.

"Sasuke…everyone is hurting right now and that's okay. It's okay to be hurt. It's okay to be angry."

"Hinata." He whispered and her lips quivered as she continued to speak.

"But it's not okay to stop being a father to our children. If…you want to stop being my husband that's one thing but don't stop being their father. You have to at least let them in."

She held her breath, waiting for his response but a verbal one never came. Instead, he let go of her hands and brought his own up to her face. Her eyes fluttered closed as his lips came close to hers and for the first time in months she felt his lips. The sensation felt familiar but at the same time unsure. His thumbs caressed her cheeks, wiping away the tears that continued to fall. Tears that were a strange mixture of sadness, longing, and hope. When he broke away from her, her eyes slowly opened and she realized that he was crying as well although he didn't seem to notice. With a short shake of her head, she reached up and caressed his reddened right cheek, using her thumb to caress the sore skin and wipe away oblivious tears.

"I'm sorry-" she started to say but was silenced by his lips against hers once more.

This time his lips were demanding, demonstrating a hunger that had been laid dormant. Sensing his desperation she opened her mouth to him willingly and allowed him to take control. Greedy hands left her face and tugged at the edge of her t-shirt. She didn't hesitate to comply with the demand and took the offending article off. Sasuke inhaled sharply at the sight of her, bringing a hand up to slide along her side. She shivered under his touch, relishing the fact that he was even touching her after so long.

His lips found hers once more and at some point her back found the grass. His body moved against hers with a practiced synchrony that could only be found with someone who knew her body as well as he did. She moaned as his teeth grazed her skin, once more marking her possessively in several places and reminding her that she was in fact his. When she touched him and her name tumbled reverently from his lips, she knew that he was hers. As he became one with her right there in the garden she glimpsed the sight of one tiny rosebud with soft pink petals jutting out but not yet ready to bloom. However, with care and diligence, she knew it would be the most beautiful late bloom of the season.

… **.**

 **Sunday November 6 2029 8:45am**

 **Uchiha Compound- Main House**

…

Sasuke let out a low grunt as he pulled the long green garden hose away from the side of the house and towards the neglected garden. He'd been up before dawn tending to the weeds and trying to restore the area to its former glory. Seeing Hinata cry in front of her overwrought rose bushes had been a bridge too far for him. He still didn't know all of the worries that plagued his wife. Last night had been spent making love to her, drinking copious wine, pouring his heart out to her and repeating the cycle once more. It was odd to tell someone all of his innermost feelings. Talking about such things made him feel weak…vulnerable even. No one should possess that kind of power over him but he'd given it all over to her last night. The former Hyuuga held every last piece of him. Did she realize how powerful that made her?

With a smirk, he grabbed the grey nozzle end of the hose and pointed it at the drooping rose bush. A strange emptiness still occupied his heart. It was the space that couldn't be filled…not yet at least. However, he still remembered his slurred promises to Hinata to get help. He'd see that quack of a therapist since it made Hinata smile at the prospect. He was also going to take time off for the first time since the accident, elders and shareholders be damned. Hiroto needed a swift kick in the ass and Hajime needed someone to remind him that he was not a robot. Hikari…well, he wasn't quite sure what Hikari needed to get better but he knew she needed him. If yesterday was any indication, she was still the same rambunctious little girl. He just had to help her find her voice.

Sasuke shook his head at his trouble children and watched as the gentle spray of water coated the bushes. Behind him, he heard the glass door slide open and the creek of the deck as someone stepped onto it. He turned around to see his wife standing near the back door in nothing more than a crème silk robe that clung delightfully to her figure. It was something she would have never considered doing when they'd first met but he certainly enjoyed the sight of her now. She ran a hand through her tousled hair and gave him a look that was halfway between curious and confused. Smirking, he shoved one of his hands into his pockets and turned back to watering her-no _their_ garden.

"You do realize how unbecoming it is of an Uchiha to sleep in right? I thought you knew better by now."

 _ **To be continued…**_

 **W is for Family**

" _There is nothing more important than family."_


	23. W is for Family

**CCNote: Alrighty then folks! Happy Foundation Day! There's no school today so I had all day to bang this chapter out for you! Here's a fact that you need to know before you read this chapter and that's a small thing about the Japanese school system.**

 **Elementary schoolers are from age 6-12. (Hikari is 11yrs old)**

 **JHS students are from 13-15 (Honoka is 13yrs old)**

 **SHS students are from 16-18 (Hajime, Hiroto, and Ito are all 16yrs old)**

 **What about Hanabi's phone call?**

 **Good question! What about it? Well, it's going to be addressed in the next chapter. In fact, the next chapter is an ItaHana so if you don't like that pairing you can totally skip 'X is for Love' and not be too lost. If you like ItaHana, you will really enjoy the chapter…I hope.**

 **In other news, it's Valentine's Week starting tomorrow. If you want to witness the struggle bus I'll be driving go check out my SnapChat. Excuse all mistake, I'll fix it later. Anywho please enjoy!**

 **W is for Family**

 **Monday October 1 2034 4:15pm**

 **Konoha Liberal Arts Campus**

… **.**

"Very good Hikari!"

The Uchiha smiled shyly under her teacher's praise as she drew her bow out for the last note. Kurenai Yuhi stood in front of her, arms crossed just underneath her bosom, and a broad smile of her own. Kurenai wasn't usually this gracious with her students. When class was regularly in session she was always very stern. There wasn't a class that went by when she didn't bring the practice to a halt to correct someone's posture or remind them how important it was to regulate their breathing. After class, she was even worse. There was not a mistake that got past her watchful red eyes and it was even more intense when Hikari found herself as the sole pupil. Her teacher was not one to dole out praise easily so part of the Uchiha swelled with pride knowing that she'd actually done well.

"You're going to perform marvelously in the competition this weekend." Kurenai continued as she ran her fingers thoughtfully through her long, curly hair. "Have you decided what to wear yet?"

Hikari's eyes widened. Since when did her teacher care about such frivolous things like fashion?

"Don't look so surprised." Kurenai laughed. "I'm here to make sure that you showcase yourself, and by extension me, in the best light. That means everything from flawless sight reading to what gorgeous earrings you're going to wear missy."

The Uchiha blushed from embarrassment at making a false assumption but nodded her head. Her mother had already shown her her performance dress last night. It was a very simple dress, dark blue velvet with quarter length sleeves. She pulled out her phone to show her teacher a picture of the dress and Kurenai clicked her tongue.

"It's a bit simple isn't it?" she sighed and Hikari shrugged her shoulders.

It would definitely be more muted in comparison to what many of the other performers she was competing against would wear but she knew it was more than sufficient. It didn't matter what she wore really. She just wanted to play and do so in a way that distinguished her among her peers. She was an Uchiha after all. Her clan deserved nothing less than her doing her best.

Kurenai removed her open folder of sheet music off of the stand and closed it, a sign that their lessons were over for the day. Hikari stood up from her chair, cello and bow still in her possession and gave her teacher a bow of gratitude as best as she could. Kurenai waved off the formality but smiled none the less.

"Make sure you stretch your fingers before bed alright?" she said and Hikari nodded dutifully.

She then tucked her bow under her armpit and carefully brought her cello over to the other side of the room. The case was still opened from earlier so she easily laid it inside and placed her bow in its appropriate sleeve. Once her case was all zipped up, Kurenai helped her strap it to her back and handed her her school bag as well. Hikari gave her teacher one last wave as she left the classroom before making her way out into the empty halls.

The gifted art school that she attended after her regular lessons never had too many people milling about. It was the very best that the country had to offer and only accepted a handful of attendees every year. The fact that she was an Uchiha had no bearing on her being accepted into their afterschool music program but it did mean she was able to pay to exorbitant costs of attendance. The tutelage of musical experts like Kurenai certainly didn't come cheap. The class sizes were all small and her one on one practice after music class meant that she left well after most of the other students. Hikari didn't mind that too much. The other students usually kept to themselves in their own little groups anyway so they weren't very good company.

"Leaving alone today Miss Uchiha?" the front office lady called out as she reached the school's main entrance. She adjusted her gold-framed glasses worriedly and let out a short sigh when Hikari smiled and nodded. "Be careful then. See you tomorrow!"

Hikari gave the woman a short nod before pushing open one of the double doors of the school's entrance. The front office staff always worried about her whenever Honoka wasn't already there waiting for her at the end of practice. Her older cousin was rarely on time to meet her most days anyway. It was kind of sweet how they worried about her but she really could take care of herself. She wasn't an invalid.

Hikari smirked at the thought as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the large glass windows of the school. Short black hair. Black eyes. It was very easy for her to blend in with the crowd. Some people in her clan liked to remark how similar she looked to her mother but Hikari didn't really see it. Her mother was beautiful. Whenever she walked into a room she got everyone's attention. On the rare occasion, she was allowed to attend a business event, Hikari was always in awe of her mother's grace and beauty. She was nothing like her mother. Most people didn't even realize she was there until they bumped into her.

With a shrug, she adjusted her cello bag and bookbag and made her way towards Hydrangea Park which was only a block away from her school. All she had to do was wait there until her brothers and Honoka finished with their own afterschool activities and a car would be there to pick them all up.

It didn't take long to reach the park and as soon as she sat down on her usual bench her phone started to ring in her backpack. Carefully, she sat her cello case on the ground before reaching into the side pocket for the device. She swiped in her passcode to unlock her photo and was greeted with a picture of Honoka with a red uniform scarf tied around her like a noose and two pencils stuck up her nose. Hikari snorted at the picture and shook her head. Honoka should really stop using her cellphone in school, that's how she got detention in the first place. She smiled at the picture as she took a seat on the bench and sent a smiley face text message in return.

Once that was message was sent, she put her phone back into her bookbag and pulled out some of her homework to work on. Since Honoka wasn't there to distract her it was a good opportunity to do some actual work for once. The park that surrounded her was pretty peaceful for a Tuesday afternoon. Usually, there were couples walking through the park and children playing but today was actually calm. She didn't even need to put in her headphones to block out all of the noise. With a sigh, she opened up her dark purple school folder and got to work on her math homework. It was simple long division but some of the problems were giving her a bit of difficulty. Instead of focusing on them for long though, she circled the problems she didn't understand and made a mental note to show Hajime the paper later. Hajime was the best when it came to numbers.

Just as she was almost halfway through her homework, the boisterous laughter of a group of boys behind her alerted her to the fact that she was no longer alone. Hikari rolled her eyes at how loud they were, thoroughly shattering the groove she'd found with solving her math problems. She didn't even have to turn around to know who some the voices belonged to. She could pinpoint that obnoxious laughter even a crowded room.

"Hey Dai!" a redheaded boy shouted, racing past her park bench and waving his arms above his head. "Throw it here! Throw it here!"

"Go long!"

The redhead ran a bit further ahead and Hikari placed her homework folder in the bench next to her in favor of digging through her book bag. If she was going to be forced into the company of her loathsome classmates she was going to need earplugs for it. Her fingers had just brushed against something in the bottom of her bag that felt like wires when someone shouted loudly to watch out. The next thing she knew there was a sharp pain in the back of her head that propelled her body slightly forward. The motion caused her to push her bookbag off of the bench as her hand automatically came out of her bag to protect the back of her head. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to rub away the pain in the back of her head. As her stuff spilled to the ground she heard the group of boys rushing towards her.

"Hey, we said to look out." One of the boys said and Hikari opened one of her eyes to see the owner of the obnoxious laughter from earlier. "Oh wait it's _you_."

Daisuke Inuzuka. The shortest boy in their grade. All scraped knees and messy brown hair and a laugh that made her skin crawl. He constantly got into fights at school and disrespected the authority of their teachers. The only reason he hadn't been reigned in more was because the Inuzukas were a big donor to the elementary school. Daisuke didn't mess with her too much if he had better targets but today it appeared she didn't have the fortune of being able to blend in. With a sigh, she slid off of the park bench and started trying to put her things back into her book bag. Three pairs of scuffed up tennis shoes surrounded her but she didn't look up at any of the owners.

"You're the weird mute girl." Daisuke said, lifting his foot to poke her shoulder.

The other boys laughed at the mute comment. Their feet kicked up dirt from their shuffling and playfully hitting each other. Hikari brushed off the dirt his shoe left behind, disgusted that he'd even had the audacity to touch her. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her pen case had been kicked underneath the bench so she turned away from the boys to grab it.

"I think the Mute is ignoring you Dai." One of the boys snickered and Hikari felt the tip of a shoe poke her lower back.

"Oi, Mute. You ignoring Dai?" another boy asked.

"I bet she's deaf too."

Once again they laughed at each other as though they were the funniest group of eleven-year-olds in the world. Hikari rolled her eyes as she grabbed her pencil case and calmly put it back into her bag where it belonged. She most certainly wasn't deaf and it really rubbed her the wrong way that these boys would make fun of someone who was. The only people she could speak to freely that weren't her family were her classmates in her sign language classes. They were loads funnier than this lot.

With a short sniff, she stood upright and placed her bag back on the bench but not without ensuring that it was zipped up. It would be awful if it fell and she had to pick everything up again.

"She might be deaf and mute but she'd not dumb." Daisuke said and the ruffle of papers made Hikari's entire body go rigid as she wiped around to see the source.

The brunette callously flipped through her purple folder, brown eyes greedily soaking in the opportunity that had presented itself. Before she could even snatch the folder away from him, the other two boys crowded on either side of the Inuzuka.

"Whoa this is the homework for tonight?" the redhead gasped and Daisuke nodded and flipped through to more pages in the folder.

"Yep and the answers to the study guide for the test." Daisuke shrugged.

"I bet the teacher helped her with this."

' _No.'_ Hikari thought, her fingers tightening around the handle to her bookbag. _'My brother helped me.'_

"Probably. I bet that's what she does after school because she doesn't have any friends."

' _I do have friends!'_

Daisuke turned to her with a broad, lopsided smile. Hikari took a half step back.

"We'll be your friends Mute." He said. "Do you know what friends do? They help each other."

The other two boys nodded their heads vigorously as though they knew where their ringleader was going with this. Daisuke turned his cunning smile away from her for a moment to lazily wrap an arm around the red head's neck and pressed the purple folder into his chest. The redhead kept the folder closed, the puzzle pieces finally clicking in for everyone. They were going to take her homework and pawn it off as their own. Hikari's eyes widened and she shook her head. Daisuke laughed at her reaction and let go of his friend so he could take a step towards her. He might be the smallest boy in their class but he was still an inch or two taller than she was. He seemed to relish the momentary height advantage and sneered down at her.

"Do you not want to share Mute? No wonder you don't have any friends." He said and his friends giggled behind him.

He took a few steps closer in an attempt to intimidate her. Hikari glared at him and tried to push him away. It worked too for a brief moment to get him off balance. Frequently carrying around a heavy cello did have it's side benefits. However, she wasn't able to get him off guard enough and he turned to push her back. This time she was the one to lose her balance and tripped over her own feet into the dirt. Hikari winced as her body hit the ground but she couldn't use her hands to catch herself. If she hurt her hands in any way everything would have been ruined. The other two boys laughed at her fall but Daisuke crouched down next to her, brown eyes narrowed and upper lip curled.  
"I didn't push you that hard Mute. Get up." He hissed.

The Uchiha tried to get up on her own but he shoved her back down again. This time she bit her bottom lip hard enough that an unsettlingly familiar copper taste flooded her mouth.

"Get up Mute."

"Ya know I would have gotten it if you learned how to pass." A familiar voice said.

Hikari's heart jumped a bit in her chest. She knew that voice belonged to Ito and if Ito was coming, her brothers were here as well. She wanted to call out to them. She wanted to tell these three stupid boys to go to hell. Yet, as she opened her mouth and tried to will her voice to come out nothing happened. Daisuke grabbed the lower half of her face and grinned.

"Is the Mute trying to speak?" he mocked, awkwardly squishing her face between his fingers. "Go on then Mute. Speak."

"What the hell is going on here?" a monotonous voice said as three taller shadows were cast over the group.

Daisuke let go of her face and straightened himself up to address the demand. As the scuffed tennis shoes of the other boys moved to flank Daisuke on either side, Hikari started to pick herself up off the ground. A slightly tanned hand presented itself in front of her and she immediately took it. When she was steadily on her feet again, Hikari looked up to see Ito grinning mischievously at her. His light-hearted aura was a stark difference to her brothers who looked like they were ready to murder someone.

"Have you been waiting long Kari?" he whispered and the Uchiha shook her head as he draped his navy blue uniform jacket over her shoulders to hide how dirty she was. "Good."

"Are you going to answer me." Hiroto asked the younger boys.

"Who are you?" Daisuke sniffed cockily despite the fact that his companions' knees were shaking.

Hikari couldn't help but feel sorry for the brunette and his attitude. He didn't realize it but her older brother had an even bigger attitude and only backed down to their father. Everyone else was fair game for his temper. Quicker than anyone could blink, Hiroto grabbed the front of Daisuke's shirt and lifted him up. The boy let out an uncharacteristically frightened squeak as his feet were lifted off of the ground.

"Do you enjoy picking on little girls?" Hiroto asked, the eveness of his voice betrayed only by the swirling anger in his dark eyes. "Does it make you feel tough to hit a girl?"

"Put him down Hiro or you'll make him shit his pants." Hajime sighed before turning to the other two boys who were now openly cowering.

"I think I'd like to see that." Hiroto smirked which only earned him an exasperated sigh from his twin.

Hajime then held out an open palm and motioned for the red head to hand over the purple homework folder he was clutching for dear life. Instead of putting the folder into the Uchiha's outstretched hand, he threw it down into the dirt and bolted away. The second little boy was hot on his heels with the escape. Hajime sighed again and picked the folder up, brushing off the granules of dirt.

"Is it just me or are elementary schoolers even ruder now?" he said and walked back to where Hikari and Ito were standing. "Here you go, Kari."

Hikari signed him a quick 'thank you' and gratefully took her folder back. Simultaneously, Hiroto let go of Daisuke who was unprepared for being released and fell unceremoniously onto the ground.

"Run along now." Hiroto sneered. "Your 'friends' are gone so you don't have to put on a tough guy act anymore."

He then crouched down so that he was eye level with Daisuke and the boy's eyes widened with fear.

"However, if you so much as lay a finger on my sister again I will make sure you _actually_ shit your pants."

Daisuke gulped and before Hiroto could rise, he was already scrambling to his own feet to sprint away faster than Hikari had thought possible.

"Laying it on thick huh?" Ito chuckled and Hiroto shrugged his shoulders.

"If you give punks like him an inch, he'll take a mile."

"Where's Honoka?" Hajime asked Hikari, ignoring his twin's philosophical justification.

Hikari smiled and held her forearm out in front of her. She then proceeded to swipe her index finger along the distance between her fist to her elbow. Hajime groaned and dragged a tired hand over his face.

"Detention again?" he sighed and Hikari nodded. "I don't know how she's going to get through junior high if she keeps this up."

Hikari giggled and shook her head. She still had another year before she was able to go to middle school so she didn't quite know how it worked. She did know that her brother was probably worried for nothing. Hajime tended to overthink things. Hikari, on the other hand, knew for a fact that Honoka was smarter than all of the other kids in her class. It was because of that fact that her mind tended to wander off task and found other, less scholarly things, to occupy her time.

"Well if she's stuck in detention we need to go to her instead of waiting here." Hiroto grunted as he finally rose to his full height. He then walked over to park bench and grabbed the strap of the cello bag to hoist the instrument onto his own shoulders. "If we leave it up to her she'll get distracted."

"The guards can drive us up the block instead of us doubling back." Ito said, pointing a thumb behind him at two burly men standing conspicuously away from them. When they noticed Ito point at them they started to approach.

"You're so lazy." Hajime replied with a roll of his eyes.

"My feet hurt!"

"I bet your ass hurts too after I kicked it."

"I told you I had it. You should have passed-"

"Hey Uchiha!" an angry voice interrupted.

Four heads turned quickly to the source to find a group of boys rushing towards them in similar uniforms to her brothers and Ito. Although Hikari noted, they didn't seem to take care of their uniforms very well. Their white shirts were wrinkled, and their navy-blue pants had dark smudges on them. Did their mothers not wash their uniforms every day? Hikari glanced at her brothers as the other boys closed in on them. They didn't seem fazed at all by oncomers, in fact, Hiroto was already unbuttoning the front of his jacket and sliding it off his shoulders. The guards started to walk faster towards them but Ito waved them away before rolling up his own sleeves.

"Uchiha!" a brunette boy growled as he and his companions surrounded the quartette. Hiroto put a finger in his left ear and twisted it around with a grimace.

"Do you have to be so loud Inuzuka?" he asked and the question only made the brunette angrier.

The boy that Hikari now knew to be of the Inuzuka clan spat on the ground at her brother's feet and sneered up at him. If she didn't know any better he looked like an older version of Daisuke. A shuffling behind the wall of scruffy older boys confirmed her suspicions when she noticed a familiar pair of tennis shoes.

"What's this I hear about you bullying my little brother?" the older Inuzuka demanded and Hiroto removed his finger from his ear.

"Teach him to keep his hands to himself and we won't have a problem." He said simply and the Inuzuka's fingers clenched into fists.

"He says you grabbed him for no reason."

"Hn." Hiroto smirked and flicked his nose with his thumb. "It appears that lying is a family trait."

The Inuzuka growled and gave Hiroto a hard push, his frustration mounting with the object of his ire barely budged. Hiroto dusted the imaginary dirt off his shoulders with his free hand and it only served to further enrage his opponent. Hikari watched as the rage that was so plain on his face morphed into a sadistic grin.

"It's a good thing that this happened. I've been meaning to pay you back for earlier." He said and his cronies chuckled behind him. "An eye for an eye."

He then snapped his fingers and the other boys started to make a circle around them. Hikari shuffled slightly behind Ito but it served to be fruitless. One of the other boys grabbed her upper arm and pulled her over to their side. Hikari tried to wrest her limb from his grip but it only made his fingers encircle tighter around her. He then proceeded to roughly drag her over towards the older Inuzuka who immediately smiled at her protest.

"Let her go." Hiroto growled but his demand was ignored.

"Daisuke." The Inuzuka called and the other boys parted to let the younger boy through. He glared at Hikari with smug brown eyes. "Is this the girl that took your homework?"

Hikari's mouth fell open at the blatantly lie, in shock that Daisuke would even dare to lie like this. Daisuke smirked at her shock and nodded his head. The older boy holding her pushed her towards the Inuzuka.

"You're a cute one aren't you?" he smirked and grabbed a fistful of her hair. Hikari winced in pain as his nails scratched against her scalp. "However cute you are, you're still a just a cocky Uchiha. Daisuke!"

The boy perked up at the sound of his own name and scurried over to her captor's side. The Inuzuka tightened his grip on her hair and forced her to face her classmate.

"Apologize." He demanded and when no sound came out of her mouth he jerked her head back. "What are you stupid?"

"Let her go! She didn't take that punk's homework. It was the other way around!" Hajime hissed and took a step forward but was stopped by two other boys getting in his way.

"Just like an Uchiha to not apologize when they've done something wrong." The Inuzuka sighed as he jerked Hikari's head around. "Go on, just say 'I'm sorry' or did your bitch mom not teach you any manners-."

Hikari fell to the ground and the Inuzuka's fingers released her, gaining a mouth full of dirt on impact. She scrambled up to her feet a second later and found her captor pinned underneath Hiroto with her brother's fist making contact with his face. One of the other boys tried to grab her again but this time Ito stepped in and punched the boy before he could. Hikari squeaked as she tried to get away from the brawl only to find that all of the boys were fighting now and their side was grossly outnumbered two to one. Hiroto was able to handle himself pretty well even though the older Inuzuka had managed to throw him off and was now tag teaming him with one of his goons.

It was Hajime that she was the most worried about. The eldest Uchiha was a lover, not a fighter. He preferred books over fists. Seeing as how Ito and Hiroto could handle themselves, Hikari moved through the fray to get to the park bench. Once she reached it, she grabbed her backpack and ran back in the direction where Hajime was fighting. The other boy had gained the upper hand on her brother and was now cocking back his fist for a potentially painful punch. Scrunching her eyes shut, she swung her bookbag at his head and knocked the boy backward.

"Thanks, Kari." Hajime said through short breaths before using the distraction to charge at his opponent.

"What the hell-" a perplexed voice said, causing Hikari to nearly jump out of her own skin in surprise by how close they were.

Honoka clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth as she surveyed the chaos and shook her head. She then pulled a bright red scrunchie off of her wrist and used it to tie her long brown hair up into a ponytail.

"You Uchihas always leave me out of the fun." She whined before turning a bright smile to Hikari. "Sorry, I'm late!"

Hikari waved away her apology, unsure of what to even make of it with her family in the middle of a fight. Honoka turned her attention back to the fight and grinned.

"What a bunch of pansies." She said and marched over to engage with a boy trying to sneak up on Hiroto.

She taped him on his shoulder and he whirled around, utterly surprised to even find her there. Honoka smiled innocently at him for a brief second before bringing her leg back and kneeing him in the groin. Hikari sighed at the sight of the boy crumpling to his knees and tightened her grip on the strap of her backpack. Would there ever be a day that went by that was boring?

… **.**

 **Monday October 1 2034 7:15pm**

 **Konoha Police Department**

… **.**

Hikari stared pointedly at her shoes as her father signed the last piece of paper on the deputy's desk and passed it back. She noted how dusty Ito's uniform coat had become and made a mental reminder to ask her mother to clean it as soon as she got home before the grass stains could set in. Ito was the luckiest among them since he'd been whisked away by his bodyguards before the police had arrived. It would have been terrible to have the Hokage's son's face splayed across the evening news for fighting in a children's park. Yes…Ito was definitely the luckiest among them.

As she lamented her own misfortune, she heard the shuffling of papers and a brief grunt of approval from the officer as he reviewed her father's signature. To her right, Hiroto was slumped in his chair and looked bored out of his mind as the clock ticked loudly overhead. To her left, Hajime sat straight and attentive, on alert in case his input was needed. He was the biggest reason they were getting out of the police station with just a slap on the wrist instead of a hefty fine or community service. Hikari had marveled at the way he'd charmed the angry looking adults in the room and really helped them to look good while the Inuzuka and his friends weren't doing themselves any favors. They, on the other hand, had cursed at the officers and caused such a ruckus that they had to all be escorted to a separate holding area.

On the other side of Hajime was Honoka who kept nervously glancing at the clock. Hikari held nothing but pity for the girl who was going to be late for dinner. Her uncle Neji was a stickler for time and if Honoka was late for dinner again he would want to know why. If he found out that it was because she had been fighting…well…Hikari didn't even want to imagine what would happen. She'd likely be grounded for life.

' _However…_ ' Hikari thought as the officer cleared his throat.

"Everything appears to be in order Mr. Uchiha." He said and her father stiffly rose from his chair.

' _Grounded for life might be better than dealing with Father when he's angry.'_

Hikari slowly slid out of her seat and stood up, her family members all reluctantly following suit. As they walked through the busy police station, it felt as though she was walking towards her own funeral. She'd never made her father angry before. It was usually Hiroto's job to get on his bad side. She looked up to him and admired him more than anyone in the world. The last thing she wanted was for him to be angry at her! She watched his broad back intently as they followed him to the entrance. He hadn't spoken to any of them since he'd arrived at the station but the aura he gave off spoke volumes. Just the thought of his disappointment made the elementary schooler's eyes burn and her head hung lower than before.

The evening air smacked her right in the face and she looked around in a bit of a daze. Night time had already blanketed the city, the bright light of cars flashed past them as they zoomed down the road. A black town car with an Uchiha crest on the side pulled up in front of the police station and the driver hoped out to open the back door.

"Hey, Uncle Sasuke." Honoka started, the first one to break the heavy silence that laid over them. "You're not going to tell my dad are you?"

Her father placed a hand on Honoka's shoulder and gently pushed the reluctant girl towards the town car.

"Hurry home Honoka." He said and the Hyuuga's face fell slightly.

She gave Hikari and her brothers a quick wave goodbye before taking a deep breath and getting into the car alone. The driver closed the door behind her and quickly got back into the car himself. When the tail lights of the car turned on and Honoka was whisked away, their father turned around to face them. His dark, angry eyes skimmed over herself and Hajime before finally landing on Hiroto. Hiroto didn't flinch as their father took a step towards him, instead choosing to glare off in the distance. Their father frowned and grabbed his chin so that he was forced to look directly at him.

"What did I tell you about fighting?" their father asked tersely and Hiroto replied in kind.

"Not to do it."

"Unless what?"

"Unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Hn." Their father grunted.

He turned Hiroto's face from one side to the other, inspecting his features carefully. Hiroto smirked at the inspection and brushed their father's hand away.

"The other guys look worse." He said and their father let out another short snort although this time he seemed amused.

Hajime and Hikari looked at the pair as if they'd sprouted a third eye in the middle of their foreheads. Their father wasn't mad? How? Why? He just had to leave an important business dinner to come pick them up from the police station. Most parents would be blowing a gasket right now. She'd heard an entire string of colorful vocabulary outside of the deputy's office when Daisuke and his older brother's parents came to pick them up. She'd anticipated a repeat performance with even more explosions from her father. Yet he was, laughing with Hiroto who was utterly unfazed by the fact that they'd been picked up by the cops in the first place. What kind of upside-down world was this?

"Aren't you going to punish us or something?" Hajime asked, just as confused as Hikari was by this turn of events. As he adjusted Hikari's cello case on his back, another car with an Uchiha crest on the side pulled up.

"Should I?" the Uchiha patriarch countered and his response left them even more confused.

"So you're not mad at us? We aren't grounded for fighting?" Hajime continued to ask and their father shrugged his shoulders.

"If you want a punishment I can give you one." He offered but the three of them simultaneously shook their heads. "From the reports you gave to the police, your actions don't warrant punishment from me. If the other guys look worse then you defended your honor as Uchiha. Most importantly-"

He stopped and motioned for Hikari to come to his side. She did so gladly, knowing that he was not angry in the slightest. A warm, comforting hand was placed on top of her head and he smoothed down her messy hair.

"You took care of your sister. There is nothing more important than-"

"Family." Hiroto groaned and got into the car. "We know. We know."

Hikari smiled at her older brother's indignance before climbing into the car to take her position in the middle seat. Hajime followed in after her once he put her cello case in the trunk and their father took the passenger seat up front. When all of their seatbelts were properly buckled the driver pulled off into the night. On either side of her, warm fingers intertwined with her own the way they had always done for her as long as she could remember. She wasn't sure why her brothers always held her hands when they were in the car. She knew that there had to be a good reason for it. Her heart rate always inexplicably sped up when she got into a car…maybe they could hear it? In any case, she squeezed their hands as they made a turn, grateful that they were with her.

"Hey, Hiro." Hajime started. "What was Inuzuka saying he needed to pay you back for?"

Hiroto rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders.

"Hell if I know." He said. "He probably thinks I stole his girlfriend or something."

"Well, did you?"

"She's not his girlfriend if she can be stolen."

"Oh, Hiro." Hajime groaned and Hikari shook her head in shame.

… **.**

 **Saturday October 6 2034 4:00pm**

 **Konoha Liberal Arts Campus**

… **..**

"To my best pupil!" Kurenai cheered, raising a plastic cup filled with juice high into the air.

"To Kari!" the room cheered with a toast.

The object of their praise felt her entire face turn red at their cheers and she tried to hide her face in her hands. Why did her family have to be so embarrassing? Slender fingers wrapped around her right wrist and pulled one of her hands away from her face. Big, pale eyes blinked back at her.

"You did so great Kari!" Honoka grinned cheesily at her before completely glomping her with a hug.

Hikari blushed even more at her cousin's antics. She'd only gotten second place. Sure that meant that she would go on to qualify for the regional championship but she'd wanted to come in first. Nothing was good as being in first. Her family thought otherwise though. They'd decked out Kurenai's classroom with streamers and balloons and more food than the group could possibly eat.

Her mother was already slicing up a sheet cake with the words 'Congratulations Hikari' written in blue buttercream frosting while her father passed out the slices. Her aunt Tenten and uncle Neji were busy trying to get the screen projector to work. There were several other clansmen, Hyuuga and Uchiha alike, milling about the room and adding to the overall noise. Hikari felt a bit overwhelmed by all of them being there. If they had planned this party so extensively what were they going to do if she'd lost?

There was no way she could have lost with the piece she'd played. It was one that she'd listened to her father play countless times when he thought that everyone was sleeping. Anyone that heard such a sound was sure to be enamored. However, how did her family know she would even be good? What would they have done with her congratulations cake if she'd been utterly decimated by the competition? Maybe Uchihas really were as overconfident as people claimed they were.

Just as Honoka let her go, the door to the classroom opened and the last guests to arrive entered the room. Hikari's eyes brightened as her uncle Naruto came in with her aunt Ino and Ito in tow. Uncle Naruto and aunt Ino were always so busy it was rare to ever see them outside of their annual Christmas gathering at the Hyuuga Winter Estate. Her uncle Naruto went off to antagonize her father but her aunt and Ito immediately spotted her in the overcrowded classroom and made a beeline for her. Once they reached her, her aunt Ino enveloped her into a smothering hug as tightly as she could.

"Oh! I'm so sorry we missed your performance!" she gushed and Hikari patted her back. She didn't mind that they missed it. They were here now which was all that mattered.

"Mom, you're going to suffocate her." Ito laughed and Ino let her go.

"Ito never lets me have any fun." Her aunt Ino pouted before playfully sticking her tongue out to her son.

"Hey! Is this thing on?"

Hikari looked towards the front of the room, as did everyone else, to see her aunt Hanabi on the projector screen. Slowly, she stepped towards the projector, mesmerized that her aunt was even there. She'd only heard about her in stories from her mother or her brothers. Her aunt Hanabi, her only aunt by blood, never came around the family but everyone had plenty of stories to tell about her. Hiroto was especially fond of her and he didn't like anyone. Pale eyes like her mother's stared back at her on the screen and made her heart skip a beat.

"Hikari!" her aunt's recorded voice gushed through the speakers. "I apologize for not being able to be there for you today but I know that you did amazing! How do I know this? Because you're half Hyuuga of course. Hyuugas are only capable of doing their best!"

Her aunt Hanabi smiled and leaned to one side to rest her cheek in the palm of her hand. Absently she pushed a lock of dark brown hair behind her ear.

"If by chance you didn't win, all of the judges are bunk. They're cheats. The system is rigged." She laughed and the room laughed along with her. "Just know, that I am so proud of you no matter how you did today. Thank you for being such a sweet niece, unlike your brothers who give me a heart attack every time your mother calls."

Hikari placed a hand over her mouth to cover the broad knowing smile she possessed.

"I won't keep this video long. Just know that you are the best- Chi what do you think doing?"

The video went dark after a thud small thud and didn't continue after that. Hikari smiled despite the abrupt ending, happy to have seen her elusive aunt Hanabi. As her aunt Tenten and uncle Neji began fiddling with the projector again she was reminded of something that had been nibbling at the back of her mind of the last few days. Her mother had cleaned Ito's dirty uniform jacket just as she requested but she hadn't seen him since the fight in the park. She could have given the jacket to one of her brothers to return to him but they would've forgotten about it and kept the jacket for themselves.

No, she knew that she had to be the one to return the article of clothing to him herself. She had been carrying around the jacket all week in her bookbag in hopes that she would run into him after school but they hadn't crossed paths once. She reached out and pulled the end of the blonde Uzumaki's sleeve and pale, blue eyes looked down at her curiously. She motioned towards the back of the classroom where her bags were and Ito raised an eyebrow. Hikari blushed at his reaction but pulled him along anyway. He probably thought that she was weird since he didn't know what she wanted but she pulled him along anyway.

Once at the back of the classroom, she easily found her bag and quickly unzipped it. She pulled his jacket out of it, neatly folded to reduced wrinkles, and looked away so that the embarrassment she felt on the inside wasn't so obvious. Ito paused for a moment before pulling her into a tight hug similar to the one his mom had given her before.

"Aw thank you Kari!" he laughed. "I'd bought a new one to replace it but now I have two!"

"What the hell are you doing?" a flat voice said and Ito immediately lets go of her. Her brother's flanked him on either side with their arms crossed over their chests and identical frowns.

"Nothing!" Ito protested but her brothers didn't believe him.

Hiroto stepped forward and lazily slung an arm around the Uzumaki's neck while Hajime gave him a tight smile he usually reserved for adults.

"Hikari was just returning my jacket." Ito continued as he tried to brush Hiroto off but the Uchiha didn't budge.

"Sure she was. Let's go have a talk."

Hikari paled as her brother's dragged a protesting Ito away. They didn't care that he was the Hokage's son. They sure didn't care that said Hokage was currently challenging their father in a very close arm wrestling match. Nope. They did what they want, when they wanted to. Hikari shook her head and went back down to join the chaotic classroom party. Even if her brothers were weird and did strange things she appreciated tham more than anything in this world. After all, family _was_ the most important thing.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 **X is for Love**

" _You hate me don't you?"_


	24. X is for Love

**CCNote: Hey ya'll! For some weird reason, I'm not getting review email notifications? I honestly thought the last chapter got only 2 reviews which was really discouraging but when I clicked on this story there were some new ones I wasn't emailed about. Is anyone having this issue? **

**Anywho. This chapter is a flashback-heavy chapter but I think it works well. For those of you that care, go listen to the song Samson by Regina Spektor. It encompasses the entire ItaHana relationship up to this point. Otherwise, please enjoy! Don't forget to leave a REVIEW!**

 **X is for Love**

 **Thursday October 2 2039 6:47am**

 **Leaf Express- Cabin 23**

… **..**

…" _Congratulations to the most troublesome cousin in existence!" Neji cheered raising his glass into the air. Beer sloshed around inside of the glass and spilled over his fingers. "I always knew that you'd either end up as something respectable or as a con-artist."_

" _That doesn't leave me too many options." Hanabi grumbled at her drunk cousin._

 _Sitting to her right and holding only a glass of juice was her older sister, heavily pregnant and equally amused at Neji's antics. Tenten shook her head at her husband and took his beer away from him. Neji pouted and weakly reached for the glass but Tenten managed to deftly keep it away from him._

" _I think you've had enough for one night." She said although her words were a bit slurred as well._

" _There is no such thing as enough." He teased and grabbed Tenten's elbow so that he could pull her towards him. Slowly he leaned closer to her, his eyes no longer on his beer but instead to claim his wife's lips._

" _Ew!" Hanabi whined. "Get a room you two!"_

 _Neji pressed a quick peck on Tenten's lips before turning to glare at her._

" _This is my house."_

" _And so? It's gross!"_

 _Her cousin just flashed her a smirk and went back to trying to drunkenly kiss Tenten. Hanabi rolled her eyes and took a small sip of her own beer. Sure this was Neji's house now but she'd grown up here. She'd like to keep the image of him fucking around the main house out of her childhood memories thank you very much._

" _I think it's cute." Hinata said with a wistful sigh as she rubbed her swollen belly._

" _Of course you do. It's how you got knocked up again." Hanabi quipped back playfully and her comment caused her sister to blush. "By the way, have you decided on a name for it yet?"_

 _Hinata smiled down at the hand on top of her belly, gold wedding band glistening when it caught the light. Hanabi would never tell her but pregnancy suited her sister. When people said that pregnant people glowed she'd never witnessed it herself. All of the pregnant women she'd encountered looked tired and fat. Hinata was fat and was probably tired too but the happiness that surrounded her was unmistakable._

" _Well…if it's a boy Hayato. If it's a girl…Hikari." Hinata said and Hanabi quirked an eyebrow at her._

" _After our mother?"_

 _Hinata nodded sheepishly and Hanabi took another sip of her drink. It was odd to think about their mother when she really didn't know much about her. However, according to most people, Hinata embodied her in many ways personality wise and with looks. Maybe this Hikari would be similar too? One could only hope she would be mild-mannered in comparison with her brothers who were quite the handful. Hanabi smirked and lowered her glass onto the table._

" _Let's hope that it's a girl then." Hanabi said and Hinata let out a small, soft laugh._

" _I hope so too. Sasuke will go crazy if we have another boy."_

" _I bet- hey, speak of the devil!"_

 _As though the sisters had spoken him up, Sasuke entered the kitchen from the back door with an empty glass in his hand. He made a beeline straight for Hinata and pressed a kiss to her forehead before he sat down. Hanabi rolled her eyes at the affection of the married couples that surrounded her. They were suffocating and gross and reminded her of what she didn't have. With a huff, she got up from the table and made her way outside to the deck where Sasuke had previously been._

 _Outside, as she had expected, was Itachi staring up at the moon with his hands shoved into his pockets. He turned slightly to see who had joined him and her breath caught in her throat. Dark eyes looked her up and down, lingering in places they both knew he shouldn't._

" _Are you leaving your own graduation party?" he asked as she walked over to stand by his side._

" _Ha! Some party this is. My cousin can't stop coming onto his wife. Apparently being pregnant means you can't drink and Sasuke is totally the life of the party." She said, sneaking in as many glances at him as she could without looking desperate. Itachi smirked at her commentary and leaned forward against the deck railing._

 _Her graduation party had started off as an affair full of the pomp and circumstance that was expected of a Hyuuga affair. However, most the members were too old to last into the night and how now retreated to their safe corners where their comfortable beds resided._

" _I suppose." he mused before turning his dark gaze on her. "Have you decided what you want as a graduation present from me yet?"_

 _Hanabi blushed and wrapped her arms around herself protectively. She'd gotten many gifts today from her family in honor of completing her bachelor's degree. It was mostly money of course but there were a few notable exceptions. Neji and her father had given her a car and while the gesture was appreciated she knew that she wasn't going to use it. She didn't have the heart to tell them that just yet though. Hinata and Sasuke had given her pair of platinum stud earrings which she was currently wearing at their behest. They weren't gaudy or flashy and for that Hanabi was grateful. She wasn't really a jewelry kind of girl but the way her sister's eyes lit up when she put them on made her like the earrings a little bit more. Absently she fiddled with the stud in her right ear and Itachi smirked next to her. He reached out a hand to push some of her hair behind her ear, his fingers brushing against the shell of her ear as he did so. The sensation of his touch made her shiver._

" _They suit you." He said, his fingers gliding from her ear to trace her jaw before letting his hand fall away from her._

 _Hanabi bit her lower lip and set her glass on the wooden railing of the deck. There was only one thing she wanted from him but she was unsure of how to express herself. Thousands of dollars spent on a bachelor's degree and she still could put her thoughts into words. Or really she was reluctant to. What she wanted would change the dynamic of their relationship entirely because she wanted more. She didn't want him to feel ashamed for looking at her too long. She didn't want his touches to remain fleeting. She didn't want to spend another night without him sleeping next to her-_

" _Well?" he pressed, interrupting her thoughts. Hanabi swallowed thickly and looked up at him as confidently as she could._

" _I want you." She whispered and Itachi stiffened next to her. His silence was deafening but it wasn't an outright rejection. After a long pause, he let out a deep breath through his nose and turned away from her._

" _I don't think you'll have much time for trips when you're in medical school." He said._

 _Hanabi shook her head and took a deep breath. It was either now or never._

" _I want to see you every day." She said, taking a bold step towards him. "I want to fight with you more. I want to annoy you more. I want to laugh, cry, and eat with you more. I want to fall asleep next to you and wake up and you still be there."_

 _Boldy, she took his larger hand in both of hers and lifted it up to press it against the center of her chest. Her heart was beating a million times a minute and was threatening to escape from her own body. She knew he felt it too by the way his fingers slightly twitched against her._

" _I want you." she said, her voice barely above a whisper._

 _Slowly, Itachi retracted his hand and with it, he took her heart as well._

" _I can't do that Hanabi." He said and her stomach began to twist itself in knots._

" _Why?"_

" _Hana-"_

" _Why?!" she asked, this time much more insistently. "Is there something wrong with me?"_

" _No-"_

" _Is there someone else?"_

" _No."_

" _Is it because I'm younger than you? You're not that much older-"_

" _Its ten years but no."_

" _Then why?" she demanded._

 _Why? Why didn't he want her? Why was it that every time he touched her it felt like he was struggling to stop? Had her own mind been playing tricks on her all this time? The bitter taste of rejection rose like bile in her throat and she struggled to maintain her composure._

 _"Am I not good enough?" she said weakly and the next thing she knew Itachi had grabbed her and pressed her up against the deck railing._

 _His lips were on hers in the next instant and her eyes widened with surprise. His lips were aggressive against hers, full of frustration and need. It took a moment for her brain to catch up with what was happening but when it did Itachi was already pulling away. She whimpered at his departure, unwilling to let him go so soon. Dark eyes were glazed over in a way that made a warmth pool rapidly in the pit of her stomach and a blush to spread across her cheeks. Equally warm hands came up to cup her cheeks, his thumbs slowly caressing her skin back and forth._

" _Hanabi. It doesn't matter how much I love you. I will leave you alone in the end. I can't give you the life your sister and cousin have. I can't grow old with you. I can't give you children. I can't-"_

" _You love me." Hanabi said flatly, ignoring everything else he had to say. Nothing else mattered outside of that fact. Itachi blushed furiously at her words and narrowed his eyes._

" _You're not listening to me." He said with a frown and his hands dropped away from her face. Hanabi grinned despite the loss of contact and grabbed the edge of his shirt. Standing on her toes and stretching as far as she could, she kissed the tip of his chin._

" _You love me."_

 _She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought the surprised Uchiha down to a more accessible level. Playfully she kissed both of his cheeks and his nose before finally placing a short kiss on his lips._

" _You love me."_

 _Itachi's fingers tangled themselves in her hair and stopped her from her kissing spree. He tilted her head back and held her steady as his lips properly descended upon hers. This time they were perfectly in sync with one another. Gone was the aggression and the teasing. In its place was a warmth she never thought could be experienced through a kiss. When his tongue glided over her bottom lip, she immediately opened her mouth to him and allowed her mind to become hazy. Kissing Itachi addled her mind more than an entire night out drinking and was something she knew could become addictive. When he finally broke away, she stared back up at his dark eyes and smiled knowingly._

" _You love me." She whispered. Itachi let out a short breath of defeat before he pressed his forehead against her own._

" _You really are a brat."…._

…..Hanabi smiled as she looked down at the tired head of dark hair resting her lap. Ever so gently, she ran her fingers through the long strands and relished how smoothly the locks slipped through them. The train jostled them back and forth as the sun began to rise over the horizon. Outside of the train car, there was a short knock on the door to alert that whoever was inside should begin getting ready to leave. They only had one more stop till they were back in Konoha.

'Konoha.' Hanabi mused, tearing her eyes away from the sleeping form and instead to gaze upon the scenery whizzing past. 'I'm almost home. _We're_ almost home.'

How long had it been since she'd set foot on Konoha? Seeing her family again filled her with so much anticipation that she was unable to sleep like her companion who'd been out for most of their journey. Her absence, while a point of contention with her family, hadn't been for nothing though. One of the biggest factors was that at the end of her residency there were several hospitals looking to scoop her up. Her specialty was in high demand and many of the busiest hospitals had vied for her to take up a position on their staff. Unfortunately for them no amount of money was able to draw her away from her goal of working in Makinohara. The little hospital there was severely understaffed and when she'd submitted her resume they'd fallen over themselves to hire her. They certainly couldn't afford to pay her for her knowledge and expertise but they were able to give her the one thing she'd always wanted, the ability to choose her own path. The ability to stay.

Hanabi sighed as she heard the hallway outside of their cabin begin to fill up with activity. It wouldn't be long now before she started her new job at Konoha General, a hospital renowned throughout the country. No matter how rich her new employer was or how many success stories they churned out, they would never hold a candle to Makinohara. At least to her, it wouldn't. No…nothing would ever compare to the life she had there with the ocean always outside her window….

…" _Itachi." Hanabi whispered as she opened the door to the bedroom._

 _Soft, pale light crept into the room from his neglect to close the curtains the day before. Quietly, Hanabi padded barefoot to the lump in the middle of the bed. It was just before sunrise, Itachi's favorite time of day but he wasn't up like he usually was. Hanabi, on the other hand, had no problem sleeping in but over the years she'd grown accustomed to rising with the sun like he did. During this time there was peace. There was no one demanding their attention. She didn't have to rush off to the hospital. It was just them._

" _Itachi." She said again and the lump in the center of the bed groaned. "I made coffee."_

 _The bed creaked as she got on it and scooted over to where he was. She crawled on top of him and a tired black eye cracked open._

" _You made coffee?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism and fatigue. "The only thing you know how to make is cereal."_

 _He closed his eyes again and Hanabi pouted as she sat to straddle his waist. It wasn't like he knew how to cook either! They mostly subsisted off of whatever Izumi made at the dinner and take out. Underneath her, Itachi's breathing started to even out which signaled that he was returning to sleep._

" _Wake up Chi, you're going to miss it and you'll be all grouchy if you do." She said and she felt Itachi chuckle._

" _Since when are you into watching sunrises?" he asked._

" _Since when are you into sleeping in?" she countered._

 _Itachi let out a short breath of amusement before reaching over to his side to grab a pillow. Lazily he tossed the pillow into her face and Hanabi caught it in surprise._

" _Hey-" she started to protest but Itachi was already shifting beneath her to sit upright._

 _He wrapped his arms around her and twisted them around so that she was now lying underneath him with the pillow smushed between them. Hanabi blushed at his proximity, happy that his eyes were still closed so that he couldn't see how flustered he made her. A warmth began to fill her stomach as he pulled the pillow away and nestled himself between her legs. Slowly his eyes opened and a rough hand pinned down her right hip._

" _Turn your head to the right." He said and Hanabi did as she was instructed._

 _To the right was the expansive window that looked out to the beach on the Uchiha property. Ocean waves lazily lapped at the sand under a pale pink sky. The hand on her hip moved up her shirt, confident fingers gliding smoothly over her stomach to trace imaginary patterns._

" _Watch the sunrise."…._

… Another sharp knock on the door drew Hanabi out of her thoughts and back to the world of the present. She shook her head at her own daydream and marveled at the person sleeping next to her. What she would give to be able to sleep so soundly. Unfortunately that peaceful slumber had to come to an end as did everything else. Gently, she placed a hand on their shoulder and shook them slightly.

"Come on Chi, time to wake up."

… **..**

 **Thursday October 2 2039 2:10pm**

 **Uchiha compound- Main House**

…

Hikari sighed despondently as she stared at the unresponsive cellphone next to her. What was taking him so long to text her back? The Uchiha groaned as a painful cramp twisted in the pit of her stomach. She sank down into the warmth of her blankets and tried not to let her treacherous body get the best of her. Her time of the month had always been uncomfortable but this morning she could barely get out of bed. Her mother and father were more than accommodating and had insisted that she stay home from school and rest. They would have tasked a clan member with watching over her as well but she'd put her foot down on that measure. All she really needed was a day of rest, not some prying old auntie or cousin hovering over her all day. Aside from rest, what she really really needed was for a certain someone to text her back-

 _Vrrrrbbbbmmmmmmmm_

Her phone's vibration was slightly muffled against her sheets but she heard it loud and clear. She released one of her arms from her comforter cacoon and felt around for the device until she had it in her possession. Once she had it, she brought back under her covers and swiped open the message on her screen.

 _You shouldn't be on your phone. Don't you have class?_

Hikari rolled her eyes at the message. Ito was the last person to be lecturing her about using a phone during class. He had lectures around this time which meant that he was definitely texting during class too! Since she had his attention, she quickly typed back a response.

 _I'm staying home from school today._

Satisfied with the simple text, she pressed send and waited for him to reply. Just as she sent it off, a muffled ringing from the front door made it's way up to her room. Reluctantly, Hikari stuck her head out of the comfort of her blankets and waited for the bell to ring again. When it did she slowly made her way out of the bed. Who in the world would be ringing their doorbell in the middle of the day? Hajime and Hiroto both had keys to the house but they had no reason to show up on a Wednesday. Their university course load kept them way too busy to make random visits. It was very quiet in the house without them around… The doorbell rang again, causing Hikari to pick up her pace. She threw a quilt over her body and grabbed her cell phone off of the bed. The phone vibrated again but this time the message was short.

 _Why?_

Hikari blushed as she stared at the screen while simultaneously walking down the hallway towards the staircase. How does she even respond to a text like that? 'I'm on my period?' No, that would be beyond embarrassing. She'd known Ito her entire life but even he didn't need to know about that. Periods were natural and normal but one certainly didn't go around advertising it. Just as she dismounted from the last step, her phone started vibrating again with multiple incoming messages.

 _Why?_

 _Why?_

 _Why?_

 _Why?_

 _Why?_

 _Why?_

Hikari felt her face turn increasingly red as the doorbell and her cellphone competed for her attention. Taking the more immediate cause of action, she scurried to the front door and looked through the peephole. Standing on the doorstep was the last person she'd expected to see in the middle of the day, her aunt Hanabi. The older woman didn't have much in the way of possessions. Just a plain brown box in her hands which looked rather beaten up. She watched as the brunette looked down at her watch and ran a hand absently through her hair. With a click of her tongue, she turned away from the door just as Hikari began to open it.

"About damn time-" her aunt huffed as she turned back around but quickly swallowed her words. "Hikari? Is that you?"

Hikari adjusted the quilt around her shoulders and nodded her head hesitantly. Why did her aunt sound so shocked to see her? Sure she'd been in bed for most of the day but she was positive that she didn't look like a gremlin. In her hand, her phone continued to vibrate.

"Look at you!" her aunt cooed as she enveloped the girl in a hug, squeezing her as hard as she could with a box in one of her hands. "You've gotten so big! I can't believe it. The pictures don't do you justice!"

When her aunt finally let her go, Hikari stepped to the side of the foyer and motioned for her to come in. The woman did so without hesitation and only paused to remove her shoes. She entered the house as if she owned the place although Hikari knew she'd never set foot here before. Along the hallway that led to the living room there were several framed photos of their family throughout the years. Hajime and Hiroto's newborn photos, her at her kindergarten graduation, an annual Christmas photo taken at the Winter Hyuuga Estate last year. Her aunt looked at every single one of the pictures like they were the most interesting things in the world but the final picture in the procession was one that made her pause and her grip tightened on the box she held. It was the day of her brother's graduation, both of them sharing identical broad smiles in their black cap and gowns. She stood in between both of them holding the multiple bouquets of flowers they'd received and their high school diplomas in her arms. That day there had been lots of happy tears from her mother and even their father had cracked a smile.

"They grew up so fast." Her aunt sighed as she reached out to touch the photo.

Hikari studied her estranged aunt carefully, ignoring the vibrations of her phone. She looked absolutely nothing like her mother. Where her mother was curvy, her aunt was slender. Where her aunt moved forward with confidence, her mother moved with grace. The only feature they shared were the same pale eyes she envied her mother and Honoka for. Her long brown hair was similar to her uncle Neji's but unlike him, she allowed it to hang freely down her back. Her simple yellow t-shirt and light wash blue jeans gave off a carefree vibe that was much needed now that Hajime and Hiroto were gone and Hikari couldn't help but feel a slight pull towards her. Her aunt was nothing short of a mystery. She sent great presents for Christmas and birthdays and there was never a milestone she didn't send them money for. When she lost her teeth letters full of money came addressed to her personally and were all signed by the tooth fairy. Of course, Hiroto had let slip that aunt Hanabi had done the same for them as well but it didn't make the gesture any less magical.

"So I'm guessing Sasuke isn't here yet?" her aunt said, breaking Hikari out of her thoughts. The Hyuuga stared at her with curious eyes as she shook her head no. "That's a shame. He said he'd meet me here. Hey, shouldn't you be in school?"

Hikari jumped, suddenly remembering her phone that continued to vibrate incessantly. She looked down at the device to find that she had twenty unread messages from Ito. The first half all said the same thing 'Why' but the next quarter had a frownie face emoji. After that were crying emojis. Finally, she scrolled down to his last text and couldn't help but bite back a smile.

 _If you don't text me back, I'll tell Honoka…_

Ito knew that if Honoka caught a whiff of her skipping school she wouldn't hesitate to skip herself. The girl only needed the smallest of excuses to bust out of class and she would be banging on her door in a heartbeat. That was the last thing she wanted to happen though. Her uncle Neji was already prematurely turning gray, she didn't Honoka to continue to add to the stress on her account. Quickly she typed out a message to stave off Honoka's invasion.

 _I'm fine. My stomach just hurts._

She sent the message off and less than a minute later Ito had responded.

 _You should poop._

Hikari blanched as she read the message, all of the color draining out of her face. That's not how a boy should respond when you tell them your stomach hurts! They should say sweet things like 'Get well soon' or 'Feel better'. She'd seen Hajime's texts to some of his girlfriends and he always wrote sweet things or sent cute cat pictures. She didn't dare to look through Hiroto's phone for fear that she would need to wash her brain but he wouldn't have so many girlfriends if he wasn't good at talking to women.

"I don't think he's too bright." her aunt tsked, her voice a lot closer than Hikari had thought it would be.

Her aunt stood next to her, blatantly peering over her shoulder and shaking her head at the subsequent poop emojis Ito continued to send her. Hikari pressed the phone to her chest to hide the embarrassing messages from view. Her aunt cocked her head slightly to the side and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're talking to a boy right?" she said but Hikari didn't respond.

If she said yes what was stopping her from telling her father as soon as she saw him? Sure Ito wasn't just _any_ boy. He was her brothers' best friend and at times worst enemy. He also considered her mother and father to be members of his family. They'd practically been raised together and yet she didn't want her aunt, or anyone else for that matter, to see their messages. She always had to share Ito with her brothers or their other family members. When he sent her texts it was something just between them. It was something she didn't have to share with anyone.

"Ahhh." Her aunt sighed with a knowing nod of her head. "I see now."

Hikari took a step back as her aunt moved closer, a mischevious smile on her lips.

"You might look like my sister but you're like me at your age. Sixteen right?"

Hikari nodded her head and her aunt clapped her hands together.

"Sixteen is a great age. I remember being sixteen so clearly. Sneaking out at night. Punching middle-aged men in the face. Making money from fights." Her aunt sighed and Hikari couldn't help but feel intrigued by her ramblings. Pale eyes snapped back to attention and she held a single stern finger up. "However you should know one important thing. Boys are stupid."

The phone in Hikari's hand vibrated and she opened the message quickly. Her aunt looked down at the phone as well and burst out laughing at what the message entailed.

 _You should eat more fiber. It's good for your digestion._

"Who is this boy?" her aunt giggled, taking the liberty of scrolling up to see his name. "Ito…heart, heart, heart, smiley face?"

Hikari yanked her phone away from her aunt, now thoroughly mortified that she'd seen Ito's contact name. This woman had no sense of privacy! Her aunt didn't seem to care that she was embarrassed though. Instead, she tapped a finger against her chin as if she were trying to place an escaping thought.

"Ito…Ito…short, blonde kid that can't remember how to tie his shoes properly? Naruto's kid right?" she mused and Hikari nodded her head reluctantly.

Her aunt had a few details right. Ito _was_ her uncle Naruto's son. He did have blonde hair, really really nice blonde hair that made him easy to spot in a crowd. However, he certainly wasn't short and he definitely knew how to tie his own shoes! She blushed as an image of the Uzumaki popped into her mind and she pressed her hands against her cheeks to fruitlessly hide it.

"You have a crush on the Uzumaki boy? Wow, that's a close one!" her aunt laughed and turned around to traipse aimlessly into the living room.

Hikari scurried after her, curious about what her aunt meant.

"This is a nice place ya got here." Her aunt observed, looking around the living room with a moderately impressed expression. She gently placed the box on the coffee table before she plopped herself onto the large grey couch in the middle of the room and made herself comfortable. "Ah! Yes, my sister certainly has good taste in furniture. Much better than her taste in men."

The Uchiha's blush which had been receding came back in full force as she typed a quick message on her phone. She then turned the device around and showed the text to her aunt.

 _What do you mean?_

A playful smile spread across her aunt's face and the brunette lazily twirled a lock of hair around her finger.

"I'm not sure if I should say." She teased and Hikari puffed out her cheeks in frustration. Her aunt only found amusement in her expression. "I'll tell you but only because you're so cute. Your mom and Naruto used to be a-what do you kids call it now? Mmmm a 'thing'. It's a good thing she ended up with your dad eh? Otherwise, Ito might have been your sibling!"

The blanket Hikari had been clutching around her shoulders dropped to the floor, her arms hanging limply at her sides.

'Mother and…Uncle Naruto?' she thought, completely taken aback by this new revelation.

She tried to picture her demure mother standing next to the boisterous Hokage but she just couldn't do it. It was way too weird! Yet, her aunt wouldn't lie about something like this. She had nothing to gain by telling her such information no matter how preposterous it was. If her mother and uncle had been a 'thing' who had her father been with? Surely he must have dated before he met her mother. He wasn't an ugly man by a long shot. In fact, she hated when he came to school because all of her friends would remark on how 'hot and sexy' he was. Plus Hiroto and Hajime were his spitting images and Hiroto never had a shortage of girlfriends. She could hardly remember a time when he was single. Wait…was her stern, honorable father a playboy like Hiro? A cold chill ran down her spine as threads began to tangle themselves in knots. With shaking fingers she typed out another message and showed it to her aunt.

 _Tell me everything_

… **..**

 **Thursday October 2 2039 3:31pm**

 **Uchiha Property- Main House**

… **..**

 _Wow_

Hanabi smiled as she read the single word Hikari had typed out. 'Wow', as simple and short the word was, certainly encompassed all of the information she'd told her niece. Yes. 'Wow' was right. She'd told the young Uchiha everything. From the first day she'd seen Sasuke Uchiha and her sister exchanging panicked glances on their first meeting all the way to the day she had to be fished out a frozen lake. She tried to remember all of the facts as they'd happened but there were still some things that were a little fuzzy. One thing she knew for sure, even though she was only a spectator to her sister's romance, was that she was truly loved.

 _I can't believe Father jumped into a frozen lake for you!_

Hanabi shook her head at the new message causing Hikari to raise a curious eyebrow.

"Your father didn't jump into the lake that day for me." She explained. "No. The Sasuke I know is very very selfish. He jumped in because he loves my sister."

Hikari frowned and began furiously typing away on her phone.

 _That doesn't make any sense._

"Love never does."

Hanabi smiled as the sixteen-year-old pouted, dissatisfied with the answer she'd been given. The look on her face looked so similar to her own when she was trying to figure out love. Even now she still didn't understand the phenomenon that drove people to do what they do. Why it could simultaneous make you feel safe and still shatter you into a thousand tiny pieces. How, even after all these years, her heart still ached. A small tap on her shoulder drew attention back to Hikari who was now looking at her curiously.

 _Have you ever been in love?_

The Hyuuga sighed at the loaded question and leaned back against the sofa. Hikari continued to look at her pointedly, hungry for more information that her loose lips would eventually give. Had she ever been in love? Well…simply put…she still was…

… _..Hanabi jumped in surprise as Itachi's hands ghosted over her breasts, his thumb and forefinger gently playing with her nipple. He chuckled a bit at her reaction before lowering himself down to place the hardened nub in his mouth. Hanabi gasped at the sensation of his tongue swirling around such a sensitive area, teasing her in a way that was utterly unfamiliar. His other hand traveled up her side to play with her unattended breast and she couldn't help but let out a small moan. The sound was foreign to her own ears but it caused Itachi to smile against her. He removed his mouth from her right side and moved on to her left, determined to give both breasts equal attention._

" _Itachi." She whimpered._

 _She was beginning to feel uncomfortable in her lower belly and it was making her squirm beneath him. His teasing fingers and tongue paid her whimper no mind and continued to tease her as much as he wanted. His lips moved on from her breasts, gently kissing down towards the last article of clothing she possessed. A pair of lacy black panties, ones that she'd bought with her sister because she'd been too embarrassed to enter a lingerie store on her own. Hanabi blushed when he hooked his fingers around the sides of the panties, tugging on them to signal he wanted them removed. Hanabi lifted her hips a bit to help him get the offending article of clothing off of her but she hid her face behind her hands. Itachi chuckled and pressed a teasing finger against her slit._

" _You're already wet." He chuckled and Hanabi shivered._

 _Bravely she peeked through her fingers at the Uchiha, oddly curious about what he would do next. Rough hands grabbed the underside of her thighs and spread her legs apart. Hanabi squeaked at being exposed in such a way. His eyes felt as though they were devouring her and she could feel her own arousal beginning to outweigh her embarrassment. Slowly he lowered himself and kissed her hips as inner thighs. The sensation of his lips on her skin made she squirm and yearn for more. More of what though, she wasn't quite sure about. However, as his lips got closer and closer to her wet center she was starting to get a clearer picture._

" _Itachi!" she squeaked when his mouth finally came in contact with her pussy._

 _Her hands flew away from her face to his head and she could figure out if she wanted to push him away or keep him there forever. Itachi's tongue made the decision for her, erasing all thoughts with its movements. The only thing she could do was moan as he expertly ravished her pussy with his mouth. It felt so good. Too good. Just as the coil in the pit of her stomach began to tighten, Itachi removed his mouth and slip in a finger. Hanabi gasped at the sensation of being partially entered for the first time. Only partially though because Itachi stopped halfway and immediately removed his finger._

" _Hanabi." He said, slowly backing away from her._

 _The Hyuuga sat up as well, covering her breasts as best as she could with her hands. Had she done something wrong? He moved further away from her towards the edge of the bed and reached down to grab his shirt off of the floor._

" _Itachi." She called out but he didn't turn back to her. "What's wrong?"_

 _The Uchiha slipped his shirt over his shoulders and began trying to button it up but he wasn't doing a very good job. Hanabi frowned and grabbed his wrist to stop him from such a pointless task._

" _Chi, what are you doing? Why?" she asked and Itachi let out a shaky breath through his nose._

" _You're a virgin." He said, his voice strained as he did so._

 _Hanabi frowned and let go of his wrist._

" _Yea? So? Does that make me undesirable to you?" she said and he looked back at her incredulously._

" _That's not it."_

" _Then what is it?"_

 _He said nothing, returning instead to poorly attempting to button up his shirt. Hanabi rolled her eyes at the Uchiha's stubbornness and smacked his hands away from the stupid shirt buttons. She then climbed onto his lap and pressed her center against the tent in his pants that barely concealed the fact that he was still hard. Itachi sucked in a sharp breath at the motion and tried to keep her hips from grinding against him. His efforts proved to be in vain because as soon as she began to kiss his neck, his own hands betrayed him and brought her closer. With a smirk, she flicked out her tongue and made the man shiver underneath her._

 _"Chi." She whispered, kissing the bottom of his earlobe. "I want you to be my first."_

" _Hanabi-" he protested but she silenced him with a kiss._

 _Fingers dug into her hips but oddly enough she enjoyed the pain. It made her buck against him even harder, relishing how increasingly wet the friction made her. As she kissed him, her own fingers tangled in his hair and her tongue explore his mouth to her heart's content. Embarrassingly enough, the combination of rubbing herself against him and kissing him so thoroughly was returning the fever that she had before. The need for more began to swell again and she knew that what they were doing now was not going to completely satisfy her. She wanted him. All of him._

 _She wanted him on his good days and his bad. When he was feeling fine and when he could hardly get out of bed without assistance. She worried about him when she was doing her rotations during the day and only felt relief when she returned home into late into the night. She knew that he worried about her as well by the way he'd stay up well into the early hours of the morning to help her study for her exams and always packed a lunch for her. Sure it was just peanut butter and jelly, the only thing he could make without destroying their barely used kitchen, but it meant a lot that he made it. It was from her Chi and that made it better than anything else._

 _Hanabi smiled against Itachi's lips as she recalled his regular sandwiches and stopped grinding her hips against him to rise up on her knees. As her dark brown hair fell around them like a curtain, she noted that for once she was taller than he was. Her hands moved from his shoulders, up his neck, to finally cup his face. Smouldering black eyes stared back at her, making her feel even warmer than before._

" _Itachi." She whispered. "Itachi…I love you."…_

… _.._ 'Yes.' Hanabi thought to herself. 'I love him just as much today as I did that night and every night after.'

A light tap on her shoulder reminded her that she wasn't alone and a phone was then shoved under her nose.

 _You blush like Mother when I ask about Father._

Hanabi narrowed her eyes at her teenage niece who only brought her phone back close to her chest and grinned mischievously. Quickly, a smile spread across her own face and a small chuckle escaped from her lips. The Hyuuga couldn't even pretend to be annoyed at the quip when Hikari looked so cute!

"You're here." A deep voice said and Hanabi and Hikari's heads both snapped up to attention.

Sasuke stood just in front of the coffee with his keys in one hand and a small frown on his face. He absently tossed his keys on the coffee table where they landed with a sharp, jingling thud. He then began to shrug out of his suit jacket and Hikari immediately jumped up to take it from him. His hard eyes softened slightly as Hikari took the article of clothing away from him and scampered out of the room.

"You're late." Hanabi said once Hikari had disappeared from the living room.

Sasuke only gave her his signature grunt as he uncuffed the silver metal cufflinks on the edges of his sleeves. Soft feet padded back down the hallway to the living room but before Hikari could enter, Sasuke turned around and shook his head.

"You and your aunt will have more time to catch up later Kari." He said and Hanabi marveled at how gentle the brash Uchiha's tone could be when he was talking to someone that _wasn't_ her sister.

Hikari looked a bit put out for a moment but she dutifully nodded her head and made to leave the room. She did give Hanabi a brief wave goodbye before she left and Hanabi returned the gesture with a short wave of her own. The Uchiha and the Hyuuga listened to Hikari's footsteps retreat up the stairs and the subsequent closing of her door. Once assured that his daughter would overhear them, Sasuke finally turned his full attention to her. Hanabi squirmed a bit under his gaze but not because she was intimidated. No, Sasuke would never be able to intimidate her. Her discomfort stemmed from the fact that the last words she'd spoken to him were ones that she'd never wished to have uttered. Words that she knew were inevitable but still cut the same way. Hanabi took a deep breath, breaking the tense silence between them.

"You hate me don't you?" she said, a sad smile playing at the corners of her lips. "I wouldn't blame you if you did."

Sasuke grunted and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Hinata says that it takes more energy to hate people." He said and Hanabi snickered.

"For people like my sister, perhaps it does. For people like you and me, it's quite easy to hate someone. It's as simple as breathing most days." She replied.

The Uchiha smirked despite himself and walked over to the large windows that encompassed the back wall of the living room. He looked out at the well cared for garden in the backyard and let out a slow, deep breath.

"How long has it been?" he asked and Hanabi looked away from him to stare at the battered brown box she'd carried across the country.

It was merely held together loosely by some twine and was relatively light but when she held it in her hands she felt like she possessed the weight of the world. All of his thoughts. All of his dreams. All of his love. It all resided inside of a dingy, beaten up box.

"Eleven years. Three months. Twenty-two days." Hanabi said finally, her eyes still fixated on the box.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted, turning away from the windows and back to her. "I had twenty-one."

Hanabi took a deep breath and tried to will herself to stay composed.

"For you…it is twenty-one."

"That doesn't surprise me." Sasuke growled as he walked back towards the couch.

"He has his reasons-" she started to explain but Sasuke cut her off.

" _Had_. He _had_ his reasons."

Hanabi didn't flinch at the sharpness of Sasuke's tone. She understood the hurt that he was feeling better than anyone else. Hell, she was still going through the same thing. However, she respected Itachi's wishes. The last thing he wanted to do was drive a wedge into the already splintering Uchiha clan. Sasuke _had_ to understand that. Even if he didn't know, she would _make him_. He didn't realize that the perch he sat on was paid for by the silent sacrifice of others.

'Or…' Hanabi thought as she watched Sasuke take a seat in the gray armchair opposite of her. 'Maybe he does.'

"Sasuke." The Hyuuga began and Sasuke looked across the room at her. "Please let me explain."…

… _.. "Dammit!" Hanabi cursed under her breath and fiddle with her keys to find the proper one for the front door._

 _She couldn't believe she'd rushed home to retrieve a textbook. A fucking textbook. However, she'd been trying to make strides to work alongside her stupid partner Udon and in doing so had attempted to get to know his interests. He honestly didn't have many things he did like except for an odd fascination with things that were obscure. Since that was the only thing she had to go on, Hanabi had feigned interest and he'd lent her one of his old textbooks on infectious diseases. She'd wanted to reject it, she wasn't going to add even more reading to her already hefty list of things to do, but Makinohara was a small town with an even smaller hospital._

 _Since she was new, it was in her best interest to be on decent terms with everyone, especially her partner. Unfortunately, Udon had started inquiring about how far along she was in the textbook and seemed skeptical that she'd even cracked the spine. He was right of course but her pride as a Hyuuga was not going to allow him to know that. This, of course, led to her rushing home during her lunch break to grab a stupid book to satisfy the stupid interests of her stupid partner._

 _Hanabi let out a frustrated huff and shoved her key into the lock. Inside, she expected the foyer to be empty but instead, it was filled with shoes. Shiny, black business shoes that had no place in a small rural beach town like Makinohara. Hanabi's eyes narrowed at the shoes and carefully stepped around them. Something wasn't right. Just beyond the foyer she could hear angered voices coming from the living room._

" _He has gone into negotiations with the Mist-" an unfamiliar voice said and other voices rambled around it in agreement._

" _He can't be trusted."_

" _Incompetent."_

" _Naive."_

" _A traitor."_

" _Enough." Itachi's smooth voice said, cutting through the chorus of negativity swiftly. "I will not entertain any more of this."_

 _Hanabi crept over to the entrance of the living room, careful to stay just behind the door jam so that the occupants couldn't see her. Cautiously, she peeked her head out to see six older men gathered around Itachi in a stiff semi-circle. They were adorned with expensive looking suits, scowls on their faces, and exuded a strange mix of desperation and anger. Their dark eyes were all similar to Itachi's, alerting her to the fact that these men were members of the Uchiha clan and she had no business intruding in on their affairs. Despite knowing this, she stayed rooted to the spot. She doubted that these men would try to physically harm Itachi but they made her hair stand up on end. She didn't even know them but she already didn't trust them._

" _I understand that you do not wish to head the company as is your birthright." A stooped old man to Itachi's direct right said. "However, the one to succeed our clan still has a right to do so through your blood."_

 _Hanabi's eyes narrowed as did Itachi's as he regarded the sly old man._

" _What are you implying?" Itachi asked evenly and the man smirked, clearly under the assumption that he'd peaked Itachi's interests._

" _The current heirs are unfit to assume the role. Their Hyuuga blood makes them weak-"_

" _They just turned ten." Itachi growled, interrupting the smug older man. Undeterred, the man continued._

" _All we are asking for is that you sire a child. When that child comes of age they will have more of a claim to our clan than your brother's. With your guidance one day they will be fit to lead us and the business."_

" _Sasuke was named the heir. He is the current head. All succession will flow through him."_

 _The group shook their heads and clicked their tongues, dissatisfied with Itachi's response._

" _Not if you were to have a child. He is merely a placeholder in the event that you don't-"_

" _You wish for me to bring a child into this world for you to manipulate and ruin my younger brother and the future of my nephews?" Itachi said coldly and the temperature in the room dropped. When no one said anything, Itachi stood up and walked towards the sliding glass doors for the deck. "Leave."_

" _Itachi-" one of the men called out but Itachi flashed him a glare that made even Hanabi's heart stop._

" _Leave now and take the mutiny with you or I'll kill you myself for such bright ideas." He growled and the men began to fall over themselves to escape…._

… _._ "They wanted to usurp you." Hanabi said after explaining everything to Sasuke in full. "That wasn't the last time they came either. Each visit they were more an more adamant the closer you came to finalizing the deal with the Mist."

Sasuke closed his eyes, absorbing the information she'd relayed to him with a weary expression on his face. It wasn't easy being the head of a clan and an international company. She didn't envy Sasuke's position and abhorred the fact that such a thing could have been her fate if her father had had his way. With a heavy sigh, Hanabi reached for the box she'd brought and picked it up from the coffee table. She put it in her lap and carefully untied the string that kept it shut. She then opened the lid and reached in to bring out a bundle of thick envelopes all tied together with a similar string.

Hanabi placed the bundle in front of Sasuke with a sad smile, reluctant to let one of the last things Itachi had touched go. Sasuke's eyes opened and slid down from her face to the fat stack of weathered envelopes she'd presented him with. She watched as his eyes widened and his breath hitched. It was a scene that felt all too familiar to her. She'd received a similar bundle although this one was more business than sentimental. Within the letters, Itachi had left her were deeds to various properties he owned, various investments in his name, and documentation of liquid assets that were now signed over to her. The independent income he had accrued was more than enough to keep her comfortable for the rest of her life if she chose to stop working.

Sasuke's letters on the other hand, even though she hadn't read them, would contain something different. Itachi knew that he didn't need to make sure that Sasuke was financially secure. Within those letters was something more precious than anything money could buy. Within those letters laid a piece of Itachi's heart. A heart that had ceased beating eleven years…three months…and twenty-two days ago.

… **..**

 **Thursday October 2 2039 5:41pm**

 **Hidden Leaf Academy**

… **.**

"There's just one left." Konohamaru sighed to himself as he left the front office.

He was on afterschool duty that day and as always there was one kid left. He couldn't comprehend why parents couldn't pick their kids up on time It interfered with his evening plans when parents were negligent like this. Not that he had much to get home to these days. Moegi was always tied up with entertaining women that floated in their high society circles. Whenever they had time together it was spent trying to create an heir to carry on the Senju name. However, that goal seemed to become more and more elusive as the years went by.

Konohamaru sighed as he pushed open the metal double doors that led to the school's playground. It appeared as though he was officially the last in the line of his once great and powerful clan. They were still quite powerful and arguably great but he was most certainly the last. Not that he minded too much. He had thirty kids every year to call his own and worry about. The brunette chuckled as he perused the perimeter of the empty playground. His family absolutely hated the fact that he'd become nothing more than a lowly teacher. It was a profession well beneath someone of his stature but it was the only way he would agree to take up the mantle as heir.

He had so many obligations thrust upon his shoulders at such a young age. He'd lashed out in different ways, some visible to his family and some not. The only thing he regretted was entangling a certain Hyuuga in his rebellion. He still thought of her from time to time though not as often as he once did. When she did cross his mind she thought of her as she was the day he saw her on the beach after months of radio silence. In comparison to the rest of the scantily clad beachgoers, she'd been wearing a t-shirt two sizes too big for her and a black baseball cap pulled down low.

He liked to think of her as the same surly girl with a chip on her shoulder and tongue that cut through even the biggest ego. As cliché as it sounded, Hanabi Hyuuga had been the one that got away from him. The one that he'd never be able to have. He knew that she went to university after that summer in Makinohara but after that, he never heard from her again. He refused to revisit the rural beach town because of the memories that would resurface of her. The memories of her looking at him with disgust in her eyes as his nails dug into her skin.

 _Thunk!_

A sharp pain hit his temple and an object ricocheted off the side of his head. His hand immediately went up to cover the impacted area and he hissed at how tender his head was.

"Why did you walk in front of me?" a flat voice asked and Konohamaru cracked open one eye as best as he could to get a look at the person speaking to him.

A little girl who appeared to be no more than ten years old stood in front of his with her hands on her hips and a disapproving look in her eyes aimed at him. Those scrutinizing eyes were strangely familiar. The shape of them was one he knew very well. They were so similar to the woman that haunted his dreams yet there was something off about them. Instead of being strikingly pale, they were slate grey. Shaking off the oddity of her eyes, Konohamaru made not of her attire which was quite notable in and of itself. She didn't wear the same uniform as the rest of the elementary schoolers he was in charge of. Just a simple white blouse, red bow, and grey skirt instead of the usual navy and periwinkle ensemble his students usually adorned. That could only mean that this child was a transfer. Konohamaru lowered his hand from his head, satisfied that he'd found the child he'd been looking for.

"Are you going to move?" The little girl frowned at him, cocking her head slightly the side and running a pale hand through the long, dark strands.

Konohamaru jumped at the sound of her voice and quickly moved out of her way. In the next instant, she threw a rock that he didn't realize she'd been holding at one of the many plastic bottles and cans lined up on the playground fence. The rock deftly hit a rusted soda can and fell into the dirt with a satisfying thud. Konohamaru nodded his tacit approval, surprised by how good the girl's aim was.

"Wow!" Konohamaru said as the girl knocked down a plastic bottle. "Did your father teach you to throw like that?"

The slate eyed girl squatted down to inspect the rocks at her feet, tossing aside ones that didn't satisfy her mental criteria.

"Father?" she said calmly when she finally found a rock she wanted. "I don't have one of those."

Konohamaru awkwardly scratched the back of his head, unsure of how to further engage the girl. Dealing with children that didn't have one or both parents in their lives was something he was trained to deal with but that didn't make it any less awkward. Internally he racked his mind for all of the things his female students like and tried to grasp on to one of them.

"Chi!" a voice called in the distance just as the little girl knocked another can off of the fence. "Chi!"

The girl immediately turned on her heel at the sound of the voice and bolted in the opposite direction. Konohamaru had to tear himself away from marveling at the bullseye shot she'd made on the aluminum can and the total mood shift of the child. Konohamaru watched as the little girl bolted towards the person calling her name and tackled her to the ground. Out of concern for both parties, Konohamaru briskly ran up to where the little girl had gone to make sure that everyone was alright.

Splayed in the grass was a familiar crop of brunette hair that still haunted his thoughts when he let his mind wander. The owner's laugh filled the air and in an instant, he was transported back to being seventeen. When he was seventeen he heard that laugh frequently and had relished the fact that he was the reason that it'd come about.

'Hanabi.' Konohamaru thought, his breath catching in his throat.

Pale eyes blinked open but they did not rest on him. Instead, they regarded the exuberant child on top of them and reached out a hand to pat the top of their head.

"Chisato." Hanabi laughed. "I'm getting too old and tired for sneak attacks."

Chisato jumped off of her mother and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Don't tell me you're too tired for brownies! You promised me brownies!" Chisato admonished as Hanabi got up off of the ground.

The Hyuuga righted herself onto her feet, crossed her arms over her chest in a similar fashion as the little girl, and narrowed her eyes at her.

"There is no such thing as being too tired for brownies!" Hanabi said and Chisato's eye's instantly lit up.

Konohamaru wanted to go closer to the pair. He wanted to join in on the light-hearted affair that occurred between them however he knew it wasn't his place. Those eyes the child possessed, a strange mix between Hyuuga and something else, struck an immediate chord. Those eyes that were more mature than they needed to be. Those eyes that he'd only met once but had made him more frightened than he cared to admit. Those eyes belonged to Itachi Uchiha.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 **Y is for Permission**

 _There were reasons behind Hiashi's madness and right now Sasuke agreed with him._


	25. Y is for Permission

**CCNote** **: Wow! I can't believe we're almost finished with this story! Thank you so much to everyone that has enjoyed reading this so far and your feedback makes me so damn happy. I wish that I could stretch this story out longer( there are so many other ideas and details to get into that I have swirling in my head) but like all good things, this story must come to end** **. The poll is still open so if you haven't made your choice yet go look at the options posted in the previous chapter and let your preference be known!** **The winner of the poll will be announced next chapter but let me just say I didn't realize just how many people actually read this story. I was only expecting maybe ten or so responses but ya'll really came out the woodwork lol! This just makes me motivated to make the next story 1000xs better than this one.**

 **A couple of guests rightly pointed out that I'd promised an ItaHina. I actually tried to write an outline for one but it just wasn't good enough for me. I only put out things that I would enjoy rereading multiple times myself. The track I was on made it feel too forced and was subpar. While I love ItaHina the idea I had for them hasn't passed my own standards and I refuse to give you less than my best ideawise. I'll go back to the pairing eventually but for now, you should know that I failed.**

 **Anywho! Please enjoy! Today is Mt. Fuji Day so don't forget to leave a REVIEW and make my day off even better!**

 **Y is for Permission**

 **Saturday September 1 2044 4:05pm**

 **Hyuuga Compound**

… **..**

'The leaves have started to turn.' Hiashi mused as he slowly walked with the assistance of a cane down the garden path to sit underneath his favorite tree.

All around him, the fall wind rustled the leaves on the trees in the garden. A few of them broke away from their branches and tumbling down to the earth. Burnt orange. Muted mahogany. Striking copper. All of which fell, one by one into the grass below. Hiashi sighed as he looked out at the garden. How many seasons had he seen change through this window? How many years had gone by? It seemed like just yesterday he'd been watching his daughters play in their mother's garden. Their laughter had traveled up to his office and had provided an odd sort of comfort as he buried himself deeper into his paperwork. Then they grew older and the laughter changed to feet running up and down the halls and loud music in their rooms. That too had been a comfort even if it was a little annoying.

Years flew by and one by one so did his children. Hinata returned to the garden, accompanied by two new little boys that laughed just like she did. Two little boys that were curious and caring just like she was. Then Honoka came and brought with her a trail of destruction that very few could contain and a little Hikari trailing after her, struggling to keep up. When he closed his eyes he could almost imagine that he had returned to a time that was simpler but when he opened them he was reminded of his regrets. He was reminded of his mistakes. So, he closed the curtains and closed his eyes. Eventually, as it had before, the laughter changed and one day ceased altogether.

Hiashi let out a slow grunt as he eased himself down onto the stone bench of his favorite tree. The large oak had sat in the center of the Hyuuga compound for as long as the Hyuuga had been a clan. In a way, it was comforting to know that this tree had been watching over his family before he was even in existence and would still be there long after. Another soft gust of wind blew through the peaceful garden and the former Hyuuga head watched the ripples it created in the koi pond. Ripples that felt…empty.

He frowned, fingers tightening around the hook of his cane, and leaned backward so that his bothersome back could rest against the rough bark of the old tree. Above him a loud cracking made him look up into the thick branches of the oak tree and was surprised to see two legs hanging down. Staring right back at him with inquisitive slate eyes and lazily kicking her legs back and forth was one of the latest, and oddest, additions to the Hyuuga clan. Chisato Hyuuga.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked bluntly.

Hiashi's right eye twitched involuntarily. His youngest daughter seemed to have neglected to teach her own daughter any sort of manners. In fact, sometimes he wondered just what Hanabi was teaching the girl. On occasion, he'd heard from the branch staff that the two girls would go camping in the woods on the property and practice tying knots at the kitchen table. Anytime Chisato passed a big exam, bottle rockets were set off in the garden and there would be whoops of excitement from the other branch member children. Hiashi had no idea who kept supplying Hanabi with fireworks but a mysterious crate never failed to show up on their doorstep for new years.

Chisato enjoyed more than just making things explode although none of which Hiashi felt were worthy pursuits. He heard of her odd exploits over the years through the branch members and from a distance watched the spunky eleven-year-old grow up to a headstrong fifteen year old who didn't have a concept of authority. Yet, despite her very unHyuuga-like tendencies, she was welcomed into the clan's ranks without too much of an uproar. Mostly due to his nephew's unwavering backing and warnings to the elders that opposed the girl. Chisato cocked her head slightly to the side, perplexed by his continued silence and Hiashi felt the corner of his lips twitch in response. The expression on her face now was the same one she had when Hanabi first brought her home…

…. _"Sir, you have a visitor." A branch member said after poking their head into his home office._

 _Hiashi looked up from the book he was reading, confused as to who could be visiting him. He didn't get many visitors nowadays since Neji had become the head of the clan. If he did get a visitor it was usually an old business tie coming to ensure that relations with the Hyuuga were still secure. He had no such meeting scheduled today so his curiosity slightly peeked._

" _Send them in." Hiashi said and the branch member gave him a quick nod._

 _As he placed a bookmark between the weathered pages of his book, his office door opened fully to allow the visitor to enter. His breath caught in his throat as he was met with a sight he hadn't seen in years. Hanabi stood proudly in front of him, her chin raised slightly and her eyes still possessing that same confidence they always had. She'd always favored him in the looks department but the years had been much kinder to her than they had been to him. Despite how mature she_ _'d become, her attire was rather simple for a thirty-six-year-old. Today she wore a plain yellow t-shirt and light-washed jeans,_ _an ensemble fit for someone with a less than stellar upbringing like her own. Yet another act of rebellion against him even after all this time. Not that he was too surprised. Hanabi had essentially cut all contact with him after her graduation, another thing he could tick off as a regret._

" _It's been awhile, father."_ _Hanabi said and walked fully into the room. The branch member bowed respectfully and closed the door to the office to give the pair privacy._

" _It has." Hiashi said, unsure of what else to say to the daughter he'd always thought would be sitting behind this very desk._

 _The daughter that had more potential in her pinky finger than any other Hyuuga clan head that had come before her. The daughter he'd disowned in a fit of rage. The fingers of his left hand twitched on the cover of the book he'd been reading. He could still recall the shouting match between them and the night she'd left the house. It had only been a few days after her graduation and she left without a single possession. That night he thought that she'd come back. She had to return, she had absolutely nothing. She'd left the car she'd gotten as a graduation present and all of her cards linked to the Hyuuga accounts. The only clothes she took with her were the ones on her back and her house keys laid abandoned on the coffee table. When he watched her get into an unfamiliar car he thought she'd look back at least once. Yet, she never did._

 _Now, looking back on it almost sixteen years later he couldn't even remember what they'd been arguing about. He'd been too drunk, too belligerent to hold onto the words that had been said. He knew that she was still in contact with his eldest daughter and nephew but not once did she reach out to him. Now, having her stand so proudly in front of him he wondered what to say. Nearly sixteen years of silence was a long time and it seemed that even now it would continue to stretch on between them._

" _Neji thinks it's best that I inform you in person." Hanabi said bluntly, cutting right to the chase. It was a trait that would have served her well in the world of business. "I got offered a lead position in the pediatrics department at Konoha General. I'll be living in Konoha from now on and once I find a suitable apartment I'll begin working."_

" _Is that so?" he said, perking up a bit at the fact that Hanabi was returning._

 _Although he didn't let his approval show either way he was proud of his daughter. Despite his abhorrence, to her squandering her talents in a worthless hospital it was a point of pride to know that she was at least good._

" _Yes." She said with a stiff nod of her head. "There is something else too."_

 _She pulled out her phone and walked up to the desk. She placed the device in front of him and for a moment Hiashi was confused as to what he was looking at. It was a picture of a little girl in an elementary school uniform. Her black hair was pulled up into a ponytail and a smile that stretched from ear to ear. She had his daughter's_ _nose and the same mischevious smile but her eyes were off. They were too dark to belong to a Hyuuga and held a striking resemblance to the ones his other grandchildren possessed but were a shade or two lighter. He picked up the phone to get a closer look at the mysterious girl when Hanabi spoke again._

" _This is my daughter." She said proudly and Hiashi immediately put the phone back down._

" _Daughter?"_

" _Yes. Chisato."_

 _Hiashi's brow furrowed at the lack of a last name and pressed his lips into a tight line._

" _Who is her father?" he asked and Hanabi shrugged._

 _Hiashi picked up the phone again and squinted at the photo. If he didn't know any better he would have thought he was looking at one of Hinata and_ _Sasuke's offspring. Suddenly dots began to connect together and an uncomfortable feeling settled into the pit of his stomach. Not only had Hanabi disappeared almost sixteen years ago but so had the eldest Uchiha. He hadn't thought much of it at the time but the existence of this child put everything into a different perspective. Immediately his mind started to race as this new reality set in. If this was, in fact,_ _a child of Itachi Uchiha's she was the true heir of the Uchiha clan. He'd heard rumors of internal strife among the clan's members_ _shortly proceeding and becoming inflamed following the deaths of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha. Eventually, i_ _t had died down but this revelation would be sure to spring that revolt back to life._

" _Hanabi…is this child an Uchiha?" He asked, keeping his tone as even as possible. Hanabi narrowed her eyes and took her phone back from him._

" _Chisato is Chisato." She said simply although there was a hint of defensiveness in her tone._

 _Hiashi leaned back in his chair and let out a deep breath through his nose._

" _You do realize what this will mean right? Has Itachi rejected the child?"_

 _Did Chisato bear the Uchiha name or was she a Hyuuga. The only reason that Chisato would have the last name Hyuuga was if the eldest Uchiha didn't claim her as his own. There was no denying it though. The more he recalled the picture of Chisato the more sure he was that the girl was an Uchiha. He watched as his daughter grew tense, her fingers tightening reflexively_ _around her phone. Anger began to well within him as he thought about the bastard that dared to impregnate his daughter and leave her. At least the younger Uchiha had the decency to marry Hinata._

" _Answer me Hanabi." he growled._

" _Itachi passed away." Hanabi said, her voice tight. "He died before he knew of Chisato's existence. Before I even knew I was pregnant."_

 _Hiashi immediately felt his anger leave him as he watched Hanabi's shoulders slump. Whatever defiance she tried to portray outwardly, right now she looked like the little the little girl he'd raised. The little girl who cried every morning to her nanny because her cousin and sister had to go to school and leave her behind. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding his death, Itachi had left her behind._

" _Chisato…Hyuuga." Hiashi said, breaking the thick silence that hung between them. "As a member of the clan she is expected to live here in the compound."_

" _Huh? What?" Hanabi replied in surprise. "We will be fine living on our own Father. I didn't come here for that."_

 _The former patriarch stood up and turned to face the windows of his office and looked out at the empty garden below. He couldn't do much for Hanabi or Chisato but what he could do was protect them. He could give his youngest grandchild the validity of being a recognized member of their clan. It wasn't much but it would keep her from being used as a pawn by the Uchiha. Not only would this keep Chisato safe but it would also keep the future of his nephews secure._

" _There are a couple of empty houses around the property." Hiashi said without turning around._

" _Father-"_

" _Someone will show you around tomorrow morning. Choose the one that suits your needs and then bring Chisato to me. She needs to be added to our registry-"_

" _Father I don't understand." Hanabi interrupted._

" _Chisato is part Hyuuga is she not?"_

" _Yes, but-_ _."_

 _Hiashi turned away from the window and back to his daughter who now looked utterly disarmed. Hanabi had come expecting a fight but there was none to be had. For the first time in years, her eyes didn't hold defiance or malice_ _within then. Instead, she looked grateful. Hanabi had a long list of things that she didn't want but for once it seemed as though he could give her something she did. He sat back down at his desk and opened the book he'd been reading once more._

" _I'll be expecting you tomorrow afternoon."…._

… _._ The next day Hanabi had brought Chisato over and the girl had looked him up and down as though she were committing his features to memory. It was strange being analyzed by such an odd girl but he took it in stride.

"Why are you up there?" Hiashi asked her and Chisato shrugged her shoulders.

"Because I can be."

Hiashi let out a short grunt. Sure she could be in a tree but he didn't know too many fifteen-year-olds climbing trees these days.

"Chi!" a hurried voice called from the deck of the main house. "Chi!"

Chisato immediately perked up at hearing her name being called and carefully shimmied her way down the tree. She jumped the last foot on her own and only let out a light 'oompfh' when she landed. Hiashi turned in the direction of who was calling the teen to see Honoka waving her arms back and forth in a rather uncouth manner from the deck.

"Chisato!" she shouted for her cousin and the girl in question quickly ran through the garden path. "C'mon it's time!"

The two girls disappeared into the house together and Hiashi leaned back against the old oak tree. Peace had returned to the garden. It was nice but Hiashi knew that soon that would change. Soon there would be laughter and the cycle would begin again.

'Unfortunatly.' He thought as he took a shaky breath. 'I won't be there to see it.'

….

 **Saturday September 1 2044 4:05pm**

 **Enroute**

….

"Dammit, we're running late." Hiroto cursed under his breath as he frantically tried to make himself look presentable in the backseat of the car. "Can't this guy drive any faster?"

Hajime shook his head and swiped through his emails on his tablet as the driver stopped at yet another red light. There were always a million red lights whenever they needed to be somewhere important. It wouldn't be such a big deal if coupled with needing to be somewhere on time his brother was actually where he was supposed to be. Like actually answering emails instead of flirting with interns in the break room…or doing god knows what in the conference room.

"He wouldn't need to drive faster if you followed the schedule I put on your desk every morning." A female voice quipped, squashed in between himself and his brother.

"Is that what that paper is?" Hiroto smirked and the woman ran a frustrated hand through her dark hair.

"Hiroto Uchiha! I swear! You such an ungrateful little-" she said, her voice beginning to rise in anger until Hajime reached over and placed a hand on her knee.

"Rei did you email me the expense reports for last quarter?" he asked and immediately the firey woman was distracted.

She fished around in the black bag at her feet and immediately pulled out her own tablet to search for the document. He removed his hand from his knee and looked over her head to see his brother glaring daggers at him. Hajime smirked in response and rolled his eyes at him. Hiroto could get any girl he wanted. All he had to do was glance in their direction and women seemed to fall into his lap…except for this one. This one did not fall for his brother's charms, instead, his very existence seemed to make her even more of a firebrand than she already was. No matter what he did to try to sway her good favor, nothing seemed to have an effect. So, he'd taken a different tactic, one that required pissing her off every chance he got. At least if she was angry with him she was paying him attention.

Hajime didn't think that strategy was the brightest to win over a woman like Rei. No, he'd known that Rei wasn't like other women the first day he'd met her in the park. That day as a shy little seven year old who marveled at the girl that flew through the sky. Despite the fact that she and her friends thought that he was a 'weird clone' he still admired her from afar. He looked forward to his late Papa taking them to the park in hopes that he would get the chance to meet her again. He'd wanted to prove that he wasn't weird to her but every time he tried she was always surrounded by other girls and he just couldn't get up the courage to speak. Time went on and with the death of his grandparents came the end of his trips to the park.

He moved on and had other things took up his attention but the memory of the girl in the park always stuck with him. That flying girl with messy black hair, bright blue eyes, and two missing front teeth. The idea of her stuck with him so closely that sometimes he wondered if she was real or just a figment of his imagination. He was content with her being imaginary until the day his father introduced her to himself and his brother as their new assistant.

He'd recognized her instantly despite the years that had gone by. Her black hair which fell down her back in waves was much less messy and she had all of her teeth now. Those blues eyes were just as striking as they had been before and when she looked at him he felt like he was seven again. Only this time his body reacted in a way that he recognized as more than mere admiration. He knew his brother felt a similar way. Maybe it was a twin thing or maybe it was the fact that he kept ogling their new secretary every chance he got. Either way, it was plain to see he had an interest in Rei. Unfortunately for him, Rei didn't take any of his bait which humored Hajime to no end.

"Alright. Done!" Rei announced as she pressed send on her laptop. "I thought I sent it to you before we left but I guess it didn't go through."

Hiroto nodded his head and opened the file she'd sent to him. She absolutely had sent the expense reports to him earlier but she didn't need to know that.

"Thank you." He said, ignoring Hiroto's mocking face.

"So are you two excited?" Rei asked and the twins stiffened on either side of her. She looked back and forth between them, confused by their simultaneous negative reaction. "This is a big day, don't you dare ruin it!"

"Yea, yea, yea." Hiroto groaned with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm serious Hiro," Rei warned as their car finally made the turn that would take them through the ever-expanding Uchiha property to the main house. "If you're not on your best behavior, I'll-"

"You'll what?" he taunted slickly, leaning over to get closer to her.

Rei instinctively moved away and it caused her back to press up against his arm. Hajime blushed at the innocuous contact but wedged his arm out from in between them. As he used his newly freed hand to push Hiroto out of Rei's personal space, he couldn't help but secretly thank the gods that the backseat of the town car was so squished. Rei had never been this close to him before.

"He'll be on his best behavior." Hajime said and Rei flashed him a smile.

When the car came to a complete stop outside of their childhood home there was already a caravan of cars sitting out front. The driver had to park in the driveway of one of their clanmember's home just to let them out. One by one they slid out of the cramped car and tried to hustle up the sidewalk to the main house. Hopefully, they hadn't missed anything. Hajime watched Rei out of the corner of his eye as she struggled to keep up with their long strides in a pair of heels. It was cute how determined she looked trying to keep up with the pair of them. The way her hair bounced with every step and the way she pressed her lips together in concentration. He admired the way her hips swayed back and forth and the way her ass looked in that sky blue pencil skirt. Wait? Ass? Hajime immediately snapped out of his own ogling, realizing just how far Rei had walked ahead of him and was leaving him behind. She looked over her shoulder at him as she kept walking and snapped her fingers.

"Chop, chop Haji. We are already late! No time for daydreaming!" she commanded and Hajime quickly picked up his pace.

Rei was right after all. Today was a very important day for not only the Uchiha clan but his family. His father would surely kill both of them if they weren't in attendance. Hajime shook his head, a small smile working its way onto his lips. Besides, there would be more time to look at Rei's ass later.

….

 **Saturday September 1 2044 5:05pm**

 **Uchiha Estate**

… **..**

Hinata brought the glass of dry red wine to her lips and looked out wistfully from the living room windows into the garden. Hikari was sitting in her usual spot near the rose bushes with her cello poised delicately between her legs. Although her daughter had her back turned to the house, Hinata knew that her eyes were closed in intense concentration as she practiced her set for an upcoming performance. Hikari was nothing if not determined when it came to practicing for a show. She'd been in the garden for well over an hour, repeating each stanza until it was perfect. Her hard work over the years had paid off and was now a concert cellist for the Konoha orchestra. Hinata knew that the innate talent Hikari possessed came from her husband but the drive to succeed was all her own. As the notes from her cello wafted into the house, Hinata honestly couldn't be prouder.

"Hello!" a voice next to her called and waved a hand in front of her face. "Earth to Hinata! Are you in there? Hello!"

Hinata smiled and gently swatted Ino's overeager hand out of her face. The Uzumaki woman had had one too many drinks already in her overexcitement but Hinata couldn't really blame her. She was pretty excited too.

"You still space out after all these years." Sakura teased from her perch on the sofa across from her and Ino.

"I always wonder what's going on in that head of your's Hina." Tenten winked. "I'm sure it's a lot better than Ino's endless prattling."

Hinata blushed at the playful remarks of her longtime friends and the other occupants of the room laughed. She didn't mind the teasing at all. In fact, she welcomed it. It meant that they were all together like they were supposed to be. Ino immediately launched into more of the latest political gossip once their laughter at the Uchiha's expense had died down. Hinata observed her friends silently, nodding along where appropriate and relishing the fact that they were even able to talk like this. For a long time, she'd doubted that something like this was even possible and the guilt ate her up inside. Across the room, Sakura's green eyes caught her own and she flashed her a genuine smile from over the top of her wine glass. All sour feelings between them were gone and in their place was a hole that needed to be filled up. Filled up with love, patience, and most of all time.

Taking Hikari to the hospital on a weekly basis for her sign language classes had certainly helped to bridge the gap between the two women. It had been awkward at best in the beginning but slowly things eased out. She could now speak freely with the pink-haired woman and it was almost like old times. Hinata loved spending time with Tenten and Ino but Sakura being gone had been like a puzzle piece missing from their group. Now that she was back Ino laughed twice as hard and three times as loud. Tenten had an ally in shooting down many of the blonde's hairbrained ideas and Hinata, well, she now felt complete, like everything was finally starting to get back to normal.

Almost.

Sakura and Sasuke refused to be in a room alone together. It was rare but if they bumped into each other in the kitchen or if a third party left the room for even a second, one of them would find an excuse to leave. Hinata thought their behavior was weird but they were still cordial to each other at the very least which was the most she could ask for. She wasn't quite sure what had happened between the two but perhaps ignorance was bliss.

The sound of the front door opening perked Hinata up from her thoughts and thunderous footsteps could be heard from the foyer to the living room. All of the occupants of the living room paused their conversation as Hanabi burst into the space with a slightly frantic look in her eye. She was still wearing her white doctor's coat and a stethoscope was dangling precariously around her neck.

"Did it happen?" she asked between breaths. "Am I late?"

"Nope." Tenten said with a grin. "We're still waiting."

At that statement, Hanabi let out an exasperated breath and doubled over at her waist.

"Oh my god. I thought I was going to have a heart attack trying to get here!" she groaned, shuffling over to the coffee table.

She then sank to her knees next to the table and feebly laid her head down. Ino took pity on the newest member and moved over to the table. She flips up an empty wine glass and pours a hefty amount in. Hanabi lifts her head up for a moment and accepts the glass but doesn't drink any of its contents right away.

"Rough day?" Hinata asked as Hanabi laid her head back down on the table.

"Like you couldn't imagine." She said. "I'm up to my ears in paperwork. Most days I'm not sure if I'm coming or going."

"If it makes you feel any better, the other children aren't here yet." Tenten frowned, glancing down at the watch on her wrist. Hanabi's brow wrinkled as she lifted her weary head up from the coffee table.

"Chi isn't here?" she asked and Tenten shook her head.

"No. Honoka was supposed to bring her almost thirty minutes ago."

Hinata watched as Hanabi's lips pressed into a tight line and she pulled her cell phone out of lab coat pocket. The Uchiha matriarch could already see the worry wheels spinning in her sister's head since she had been the same way when her own children were Chisato's age. They were old enough to function on their own. Old enough to get in trouble on their own. Hinata had thought that her maternal paranoia would subside the older her children became but her worries just shifted to other things like if they were eating enough or sleeping properly. Just as Hanabi had lifted the phone to her ear, the front door opened again and the sound of ringing reverberated from down the hall.

"Mom! You don't have to call me, I'm here!" Chisato shouted and Hanabi slowly lowered her phone from her ear with narrowed eyes.

"You're late!" she shouted back.

"That's not my fault!"

"Where were you?"

"In a tree."

Hinata placed a hand over her mouth to conceal her own giggle at the yelling back and forth between the two and Hanabi cut her eyes at her. Chisato lazily walked into the room with her arms crossed over her chest, grey eyes scanning the occupants in the room.

"Were you dodging your tutor again?" Hanabi asked and Chisato rolled her eyes.

"I don't need a tutor. I'm smarter than everyone in my class."

"That sounds familiar." Hinata smiled, recalling how Hanabi always thwarted Neji's desperate attempts to get her to fall in line.

"Where's Honoka?" Tenten asked and Chisato jerked her thumb back.

"She's coming. She's busy talking to her boyfriend on the phone." The teen said and proceeded to pretended to throw up. Tenten groaned and took a large sip of her wine.

"I just hope it's not the boy with the tattoos." She grumbled under her breath.

Hinata couldn't help but nod her head in agreement. Neji would have a heart attack if he found out that his only daughter was dating a boy with an arm covered in colorfully intimidating tattoos. She had a sneaky suspicion that Honoka pushed the envelope time and time again just to get a reaction out of her father. The young woman in question bustled into the living room as Chisato took a seat on the floor next to Hanabi. In her hands, she had two large grocery bags that clanked together when she set them on the coffee table with an exasperated huff.

"I didn't miss anything did I?" Honoka asked, exaggeratedly wiping her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Nope!" Ino said and peeked into one of the grocery bags. "Why is there so much champagne in here?"

Honoka smiled broadly and pulled a slender green bottle with gold foil out of one of the bags.

"Don't you know that this is a celebration? Celebrations call for champagne."

"More like a funeral." Chisato grumbled and Hanabi playfully ruffled the top of her head.

"Sasuke isn't a murderer." She chided.

The occupants of the room laughed at the comment but Hinata wasn't quite so sure. When it came to their family Sasuke was not one to be tested. In the meantime, it was best to enjoy the calm before the storm and just be happy she hadn't heard a gunshot just yet. Honoka was more than happy to facilitate a more cheerful atmosphere and was already trying to uncork the champagne bottle. Unfortunately, it had already been terribly shaken up so when she removed the foil, the cork popped out and shot like a bullet towards the entrance to the living room.

"What the hell are you trying to do? Kill me?" a deep voice asked as they narrowly dodged the cork.

Hiroto smirked mockingly at Honoka from the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. He now stood a few inches taller than his father but that's where the differences ended. Both twins bore such a striking resemblance to their father at twenty-four years old that it was almost uncanny.

"I could have sworn I taught you better technique than that."

"Shove it Hiro."

"Now that's not very lady-like."

Honoka stuck her tongue out at him, quite immature for a Hyuuga heiress but to be expected when it came to how she addressed Hiroto. The two of them seemed to thrive on getting under one another's skin. Hiroto only rolled his eyes at the gesture and made a beeline through the living room to make it to his mother's side. He placed a kiss on her cheek and Hinata patted his hand in response.

"You shouldn't kiss your mother with that mouth." Honoka teased as she grabbed an empty glass off of the table and filled it with champagne. "Who knows where it's been."

Hiroto frowned and grabbed a sofa cushion off of the couch. He would have thrown it too if Hinata hadn't given him a disappointed look. Instead, he lazily tossed the pillow on the floor and moodily glared at his cousin, no doubt plotting ways to get revenge for her comment.

"I hope we didn't miss anything." Came the voice of her eldest son from around the corner.

He entered the room with his secretary Rei in tow, a faint blush dusted across his cheeks. Rei bowed politely to the room's occupants as Hajime left her side and made the same journey his brother had to where Hinata sat. He kissed her cheek as well and smiled at her.

"You look beautiful Mother." He said softly so that only the two of them could hear and Hinata blushed.

"You always say that." She laughed and shook her head.

Hajime then motioned for Rei to come sit with him and Hiroto on the floor. Once she was settled between them, the conversation in the living room continued amongst smaller groups. Instead of joining in though, Hinata looked back out at the garden where Hikari was continuing to practice. None the wiser of the commotion going on in the house.

….

 **Saturday September 1 2044 4:05pm**

 **Uchiha Estate**

… **.**

Sasuke let out a deep breath through his nose as Neji and Naruto took their leave of his study. The door closed with a soft click behind them and left Sasuke staring at the only other occupant in the room. Ito Uzumaki stared back at him with a confidence that wasn't overly cocky but held a hint of defiance. That look felt all too familiar when directed at him and for once he understood how Hiashi had felt. That day when an arrogant punk from his rival's corporation had dared to stake a claim on something he cared about more than anything.

Hiashi had plans to give Hinata more than she would ever need to be comfortable in life. If things had turned out differently she would have become a woman others would clamor around for her power and influence. That union with Gaara would have benefitted the Hyuuga clan immensely and even if Hinata had been hesitant she would have eventually found contentment. Could she have fallen in love with Gaara? Perhaps. However, Sasuke knew that he was selfish. To keep Hinata by his side was not in her best interests but at the time he could see nothing else. He wanted no one else. If he had to do it all over again he would make the same decision to keep her despite understanding what was best.

Now, here he was over twenty-four years later and on the opposite side of the desk. Instead of defiantly demanding Hinata's hand it was Ito who wanted Hikari. _His Hikari._ It wasn't an unfortunate move, if anything it would beneficial for the clan. Yet he didn't care about the clan, at least not right now. He cared about his daughter and the boy that wanted to take her away. Sasuke stared at Ito who still continued to steadily meet his gaze with pale blue eyes. His blonde hair was tousled even messier than normal from the number of times he'd absently ran his fingers through it. He sat straight in his chair with more formality than Sasuke had ever seen the daydreaming boy do as he'd grown up.

Sasuke didn't dislike Ito. No, the boy held a special place in his heart although he'd never admit it to the boy's father. Despite the lack of verbal confirmation, he knew that if anything ever happened to Naruto he would be the one to care for his son and vice versa. He would do whatever was in his power to help the boy but this was Hikari he wanted. _His Hikari._

"How long has this been going on?" Sasuke asked, breaking the silence between them.

Unlike Hiashi he didn't keep tabs on his children's romantic endeavors. That was one thing he and Hinata promised each other to stay out of as their children got older. Now he wished that he had been keeping a closer eye on them. As loathsome as it was he was once again was faced with having to agree with Hiashi. Ito fidgeted a little in his chair and cleared his throat.

"I don't know exactly." He said and Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "It just kind of happened-"

"Does she know about your proposal?" Sasuke asked, interrupting Ito mid-speech.

"No-"

"So how do you know she wants to marry you?"

"I don't-"

"Then this entire thing is a moot point." Sasuke quipped and leaned back in his chair. He stubbornly crossed his arms over his chest, letting out a slow breath through his nose.

"Why. Why do you want to marry Hikari?"

Ito blinked for a moment. He appeared genuinely surprised by the question at first before a slow smile spread across his face. Sasuke watched as the wheels turned in the boys head and while he wasn't privy to Ito's thoughts he had an idea what was there. After a moment Ito shrugged and sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

"She makes me happy." He said simply. "She's my biggest cheerleader and I can't imagine having a good day without her there-"

"So her sole purpose is to make _you_ happy?"

"No. Actually, I'm happiest trying to make her happy." Ito smiled and then his eyes widened. "Don't tell Hiro I said that. He'll never let me live it down!"

Sasuke uncrossed his arms and stood up from his desk. There were so many things he wanted Hikari to have in her life, so many things that he couldn't give her. He couldn't take away the trauma she held from seeing his parents die in front of her. He couldn't give her back her voice. What he could do was make her happy or at the very least step aside to allow someone else to. The Uchiha patriarch pressed his lips together and stood up from his chair, unwilling to say what he needed to let Hikari go. Just as selfishly with her mother, he didn't want to part with her. Just like Hiashi he wanted to stay in control. Yet…no matter how much he wanted to keep her he knew that he couldn't. Ito was a selfish young man as well, perhaps just as selfish as he was. Sasuke smirked at the thought and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Do you love her?" he asked and Ito's entire face turned red.

"More than anything."

Sasuke turned away from the boy he considered a nephew and walked towards his study window that overlooked the small garden in the backyard. Hikari was still sitting in her favorite spot with her back turned to his window. It was the same spot she'd been practicing in since the day she became big enough to steady an adjusted cello between her legs. The sour notes she'd emitted for months would have been more than welcome at a time like this. It would mean that she was still his little girl. She would still silently beg him to play for her, clinging onto every note he gave her. Closing his eyes, he turned back to Ito and finally spoke.

"Alright." He said and the sound of Ito's chair clattering onto the hardwood of the study reverberated off of the walls.

"Alright?" he exclaimed excitedly. " Alright?"

Sasuke grunted. He'd already said it once and he wasn't going to elaborate on the statement nor would he repeat himself. Ito's smile widened immensely with Sasuke's tepid blessing and he scrambled around the desk to wrap his arms around the older man. Sasuke himself was not too surprised by the affection tall young man. Naruto hadn't been a good role model for Ito to learn things like volume control or personal space. Ito squeezed him tight despite the lack of reciprocation before finally letting him go.

"Thanks, Uncle! I mean _Dad._ " He said cheekily and realization washed over Sasuke like a cold shower.

That idiot's kid was now his! Before he could rescind his blessing, Ito had already made his way to the window and pushed it open. He leaned out, cupping his mouth with his hands to supplement his already loud volume.

"Hey Hikari!" he shouted and the Uchiha girl jumped in surprise.

She whirled around to locate the source of the voice. When her dark eyes caught Ito frantically waving at her from his study window, she smiled and waved back at him although in a more reserved manner. Quickly, Ito removed himself from the window and made his way out of the Uchiha's study. He took his thunderous footsteps with him and Sasuke couldn't help but shake his head at the sound of chaos in the living room. Instead of joining the fray of his family and friends he remained upstairs and kept watch over the garden.

He watched as Ito stumbled out onto the back deck, no doubt shoved outside by the living room's inhabitants. Hikari pressed the back of her free hand against her lips to cover her smile as Ito tried to compose himself in a more respectable manner. Slowly her smile dissolved as she observed what Sasuke assumed was a serious look on Ito's face. She turned away from the blonde to place her cello gently on the ground before flashing him a quick sign asking what was wrong. When Ito took both of her hands in his, there was a soft knock on his study door and he turned away from the window. Hinata smiled at him sweetly from the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest.

"You didn't kill him." She said and Sasuke returned to his desk chair with a grunt.

"I'm still considering it."

His wife shook her head and laughed as she entered the study and made her way to his desk. Sasuke admired her form as she approached him, even though they'd been married for twenty-four years he just couldn't help himself. Hinata didn't mind the way he watched her and secretly he suspected she got enjoyment out of it. As the sounds of cheering reached them through the study window, Hinata sat in his lap and made herself comfortable.

"You're getting heavy." He grumbled and she playfully smacked his chest.

"You're getting old."

With an amused smirk, Sasuke wrapped an arm around her shoulders to bring her closer and pressed his lips against her temple. She was right though, he was getting old. So old that his children were getting married. Well…one of them at least. The twins were another complicated mess he couldn't quite figure out and frankly didn't want to. Sasuke and Hinata simultaneously let out a sigh and sank into one another. Outside the window, their family and friends continued to laugh and cheer but the Uchihas remained content just hearing them at a distance. They would have to make an appearance soon before someone came to drag them out of the study but for now…Sasuke was more than happy to remain just like this.

 _ **To be Continued….**_

 **Z is for the End**

" _It's what they would have wanted."_


	26. Z is for Endings

**CCNote: Here we are. We've reached the end. Not only is this the end of this story but also the week of graduation for my 3** **rd** **yrs. Gah! I'm so sad on both fronts! IDK what I'm going to do next year when my favorite crop of students graduate. I'm already a weepy mess lol! Unsurprisingly 'Becoming an Uchiha' is the winner of the poll. So I'll be posting the first chapter soon. Definitely** **, go check it out! Thanks so much for putting up with me all this time and for reading this story all the way through to the end. I'd love to know how you felt about the story and what I can do to improve my writing for** **the next fic. Your feedback is invaluable.**

 ** _Special thanks to:_ HawaiiUnnie, Anime pryncess, hinatahyuugaa, shalei, muzicaldove, WhiteGems, and MadEmpress**

 _ **Shout Outs to:**_

 **Katarina-Hime: your reviews always made me smile and I think your reaction is the one I look forward to the most. Thank you!**

 **SilverDreamsCA: You've stuck all the way through Sleeping with the Enemy and I love reading your feedback.**

 **Shikara Gizzel: I hope I was able to answer all of your questions as this story progressed but if you have more I wasn't able to fit in don't hesitate to ask.**

 **Maxridelover: You're the best. Thanks for always leaving a positive note.**

 **Hima21: I'm so happy that you enjoy my writing and I hope you like my new stuff!**

 **Rotibaker and Tayeons: I'll combine you both since the message is the same. THANK YOU! I enjoyed your analysis of my story and it made me soooooooo happy to see your last reviews. Seriously couldn't stop smiling.**

 **Gabrielleannele: I hope this chapter doesn't make you cry too much lol. It's rather emotional. I teared up a bit writing it!**

 **Finally thanks to all of the guest reviewers who took time out of their day just to leave a review. Those things are like liquid gold for a writer. If I didn't specifically shout someone out, know that I love you too lol. To anyone else that reads this in the future. Please enjoy!**

 **Z is for Endings**

 **Saturday March 31 2055 9:21am**

 **Uchiha Main House**

… **.**

A cool spring breeze wafted through the trees and cooled the Uchiha's warm skin. It brought with it the smell of freshly cut grass and the scent of a neighbor's laundry one house over. Hajime paused briefly in his work to savor the smell. He took a deep breath in and slowly released the air through his nostrils. Days like these, when he wasn't swimming paperwork or being hounded by employees, were the ones he loved the most. His knees in the grass and soil underneath his fingertips. Hajime sighed as he returned to pulling up weeds that had sprung up the garden as soon as the first frost had passed. His wife liked to joke that in a past life he'd probably been a poor rice farmer that spent all of his days in the fields.

A not so small part of him hoped that she was right. Being a rice farmer was a much simpler life, although, he wasn't dissatisfied with the life he led now. No, the life he had now he wouldn't exchange it for all of the untilled rice paddies in Konoha. Hajime smirked as he was successfully able to pull up a particularly stubborn weed and tossed it into a black plastic bag with the others. The back door to the main house slid open and he looked up to see his ten-year-old son bounding towards him. His dark hair was ruffled by another spring breeze, equally dark eyes alight with curiosity.

"Whatcha doin? You're all sweaty." he asked curiously, tugging on the edge of his navy blue t-shirt all the while.

The corner of Hajime's lips twitched as he took in how precocious and uninhibited Kei was. The boy didn't have a shy bone in his body, something he undoubtedly inherited from his mother.

"I'm pulling up weeds." Hajime answered as he wiped the sweat off of his forehead with the back of his arm. "Would you like to help me?"

Kei's eyes got even bigger and he immediately set to work trying to pull up the first green thing he got his hand on. Unfortunately, that something was an early, unbloomed tulip and most definitely wasn't supposed to be removed. Hajime chuckled as he placed his larger hands over Kei's and pulled his fingers away from the delicately developing flower.

"This isn't a weed." He said and Kei pouted. "Here let me show you which ones."

"Why can't I just take out all the green things." Kei asked, plopping his butt in the dirt. "The garden usually has lots of colors so all of these things are weeds."

"These aren't weeds." Hajime laughed and poked the middle of his son's forehead like his own father used to do. "These are just the beginning."

"The beginning?"

"Hm. They don't look like much now but soon the garden will be all colorful again. So, we have to be diligent and care for our plants in the beginning so that one day they will be beautiful."

Hajime watched amusedly as his son scrunched up his face and tried to process the information that he'd been given. It gave the Uchiha great joy to watch his son think and mull things over. Did his parents feel like this when he was younger? Perhaps. His mom had never ceased being a wonderful thesaurus for all of the thousands of words he tried to obtain and his Father always had a direct answer for him if he asked.

"The beginning." Kei pondered before something clicked in his mind. "Like you!"

"Like me?" Hajime laughed, pointing comically at his nose for emphasis. Kei nodded emphatically in response.

"Yea! Mother said that her name means 'beautiful' and that your name means 'beginning'!"

Hajime blinked for a moment before his smile widened at his son's statement.

"I suppose you're right." He said. "And what does your name mean?"

"Wise!"

"Then I named you well. You will be a very wise Uchiha head one day."

Kei beamed with pride at being correct and watched patiently as Hajime resumed pulling up the green things that were _supposed_ to be removed. It didn't take long for him to understand the right ones to take and soon the two Uchihas were working in a sweaty silence. Once all of the weeds from the main flower bed had been removed, with the sun was hanging high in the sky, the two of them laid eagle spread in the grass together. Lazily they watched the clouds float by, pointing out random images that they saw in them. Hajime noted that Kei saw lots of dragons when there most certainly weren't any but he chalked it up to the sword-wielding princess stories his wife liked to read to him at bedtime.

"Tired already?" an amused voice asked, casting a shadow over the two Uchihas lying in the grass.

Hajime opened his eyes and smiled when he saw Rei grinning down at them. Clutching the edge of her long navy skirt was his second son Saito who, as always, had his thumb in his mouth. Hajime wasn't sure how Rei managed to walk around the house with the three-year-old nearly attached to her hip but she always appeared to do so effortlessly. In her hands she held a wooden tray, the sound of ice clinking against glass let him know she'd brought them something to drink. Kei immediately sat up in excitement and eagerly took the glass of water his mother gave him. He nearly downed the glass in one go but a brain freeze stopped him in his tracks.

"Ow!" he groaned, pressing the heel of his free hand against his temple.

"That's what you get when you drink too fast." Rei chided as she sat down in the grass next to Hajime.

Kei stuck his tongue out at her and continued to vainly rub his forehead. Rei set the tray down in the grass and opened her arms for their youngest member to cuddle in her lap. Saito scrambled into his favorite spot and Hajime couldn't help but feel a bit jealous of his son. He wanted Rei's nimble fingers stroking his hair and giving him all of her attention. The Uchiha laughed at the immature thought as he sat upright and grabbed a glass of water off of the tray. He was a patient man. He'd wanted Rei since he was seven years old even if he hadn't known her name at the time. He could wait a few more hours until their children were asleep to have her all to himself. As if she could read his thoughts, his wife caught his eye and flashed him a mischevious grin. Her blue eyes scrunched up in that cute way he always admired when she smiled, dark wavy hair spilling over her shoulders. Once again he was in awe of her and she didn't have to do anything.

'Yes.' Hajime thought to himself as he turned away from his wife and looked up at the clouds. 'Days like this are the best.'

The Uchiha's peace didn't last for long. The glass back door slid open again and both of his sons popped up in excitement. Rei covered her face as soon as she saw their intruder, groaning in dismay as she did so.

"Uncle Hiro!" Kei and Saito shouted in unison, running as fast as the could towards the back deck.

Hajime amusedly watched his twin brother throw his arms open wide to accommodate both boys throwing themselves at him and lifting them into the air. The two boys pulled at his black leather coat, claiming how cool it was and peppered their beloved uncle with a million questions at once. He then whispered a secret into both of their ears and placed them back on the ground. As if he'd highjacked their brains, the two boys started running around the garden with a laughing Hiroto hot on their heels, ever so careful to not actually catch them. Hajime laughed at their antics and wondered where his brother got all of his energy from.

"Don't laugh at him." Rei grumbled with her arms crossed and pouting. "He pops in and out without any notice. Not to mention the fact that he's spoiling them."

"He's not spoiling them." Hajime said but Rei narrowed her blue eyes and jerked her thumb in the direction of their dark-haired boys running into the house like madmen.

"Presents!" they shouted and Hiroto wasn't too far behind them.

"Okay, okay." Hajime conceded to his wife. He could already picture the unnecessary mess of wrapping paper littering the living room floor when they went inside. "Maybe he does spoil them a bit."

"I don't understand why he doesn't just have his own kids and leave us alone." Rei groused and Hajime laughed deep from within his stomach.

Sure Hiroto could be much at times but secretly he was jealous of his brother's carefree attitude. He wished that he could be as cavalier and quick. He wouldn't admit it to anyone breathing but it stroked his ego a little to know that Rei still preferred him in spite of how much better his brother was. Rei continued to pout and Hajime pulled on her upper arm to draw her in closer. She crawled into his lap, lazily wrapping her arms around his neck and evidently put out that Hiroto had managed to garner their children's affection within a matter of seconds.

"If Hiro wasn't around you wouldn't have a nemesis." Haji said with a smirk. "What is the amazing Rei without a worthy enemy? A flying girl needs a foe."

Rei scrunched up her nose at his words, a pink blush of embarrassment dusting across her cheeks. She leaned her weight forward so that he fell back into the grass and pressed her soft lips against his.

'Yes.' Hajime thought as he indulged in his wife's affection in the garden. 'These kinds of days are the best.'

… **.**

 **Friday July 18 2048 9:02pm**

 **Konoha Theatre**

… **.**

Hikari smiled as she pulled her bow away from her cello and allowed the final note to ring out through the auditorium. She couldn't see them because of the stage lights but the audience's applause was thunderous as her performance ended. She smiled at the black shadows as they all rose up to clap even louder than before, roses and teddy bears being tossed onto the stage at her feet. Carefully she stood up as well and bowed to her audience much to their delight just as the heavy red curtain fell down in front of her. Expertly she placed her right hand on her left shoulder to keep the strap in place. The black off the shoulder gown was one of the most gorgeous pieces she'd ever worn but it wouldn't do for there to be a slip-up. As soon as she rose up from her bow, Kurenai crossed the stage and enveloped the Uchiha in a tight hug.

"You did so well Hikari!" her longtime music teacher gushed and Hikari blushed profusely at the praise.

The backstage staff all voiced their praise as well, adding to cacophonous din on the other side of the satin curtain. Hikari wasn't quite sure what to do with all of the praise but she hugged Kurenai back tightly once a stagehand took away her cello and bow. As the applause died down, Kurenai held her at arm's length and let out a relieved sigh.

"Konoha's Princess." She beamed proudly. "You know we've sold out for all of the performance's for this week and next."

Hikari returned her smile, eyes widening at the news. It was amazing how many people wanted to see her play. People seemed to be fascinated with their next Hokage's wife and came from far and wide just to hear her play. It was a bit overwhelming to say the least. Kurenai hooked their arms together and led her down the backstage steps where the staff continued to applaud as they walked past. All the while Kurenai continued to prattle away about the potential for going on tour and perhaps even doubling up on performances if her schedule permitted it. When they reached the door to her dressing room, Kurenai pulled her in for another quick hug before letting her go.

"Don't stay up too late tonight." She said with a knowing wink. "We have interviews in the morning."

Hikari raised a curious eyebrow at her instructor. What could she possibly be staying up for? Ito was away on a diplomatic meeting with uncle Naruto in Suna. When he was away the most she did was spend time with her family or practice at home. That is unless… Hikari's heart immediately started pounding in her chest as she whirled around to her dressing room door. She knew that she shouldn't get her hopes up but she just couldn't help it. Her hands shook as she wrenched her dressing room door open only to find the inside of it empty. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment as she walked into the room. She knew she shouldn't have gotten her hopes up that he'd be here. Kurenai must have just been giving her general advice and now she looked like a bratty little kid who hadn't gotten her way. Hikari sniffed and wrapped her arms around herself protectively. Tonight would be yet another night alone.

"You don't look like someone that just got a standing ovation." A deep voice called from behind her.

The Uzumaki woman whirled around in surprise to see Ito standing in her dressing room doorway with a large bouquet of red roses and an even bigger smile. Ignoring the present he'd bought for her, she launched herself at him but he was prepared for the impact. He opened his arms wide and wrapped them around her small waist, enveloping her in a warmth she hadn't felt in what seemed to be ages.

"There we go." He said and Hikari shivered at the sound of his voice.

Slowly he shuffled them into the dressing room for more privacy, kicking the door closed behind them. Hikari buried her nose into his neck and took a deep breath. The smell of cinnamon filled her senses and caused her heart to beat even faster. Ito chuckled at her attachment and shuffled around to place her roses on the coffee table to free up both of his hands. Once the flowers were out of the way, he hugged her even tighter than before.

"You missed me didn't you?" he said and Hikari nodded as best as she could. "I wasn't supposed to come back for another two days but I missed you too much."

Hikari let go of him in surprise and smacked his upper arm. He definitely shouldn't be skipping out on important Hokage in training duties! He should know better by now! No matter how much he missed her he shouldn't shirk his responsibilities. Hikari crossed her arms over her chest and pressed her lips together in a tight line, hoping all the while that the expression was able to convey her disapproval of Ito's actions. Instead, her husband only laughed and placed his hands firmly on her hips.

"Don't look like that Kari." He said. "Are you trying to make me feel guilty? It won't work."

He then leaned down to plant playful kisses on her furrowed brow and pink cheeks, melting away her frustration with each kiss.

"I will never feel guilty about you."

Hikari bit her bottom lip, willing herself to stand by her resolve but it wasn't really working. As shameful as it was, her desire to see him outweighed her sense of responsibility. Slowly but surely her lips spread into a smile and Ito's hands pulled her back into a hug. The Uzumaki woman allowed her husband to hold her close and she melted willingly into his arms. She loved Ito too much to ever stay mad at him. She knew he loved her as well as preposterous as it was that he could love someone like her. A girl that can't shower him with the same affection he always lavished on her. A girl that could never even say his name no matter how much she wanted to. Over the years she had tried her best to speak but it was as if she were attempting to will her heart to stop beating. No matter how hard she tried she just couldn't force the words to come out.

The doctors called it selective mutism. It was the only way to explain why despite the lack of damage to her vocal cords and brain she was still unable to speak. They said that speaking should be as natural as breathing but for her, it felt impossible. No matter how much she wanted to yell out, no matter how much she wanted to scream, she just couldn't do it. She couldn't solidly remember a time that she was able to speak. She couldn't even remember the accident that took her voice away….

… _Hikari gasped as she opened her eyes to a familiar but blurred canopied ceiling. The early morning sun was creeping through her window and despite the fact that she'd just woken up, she felt like she'd run a marathon. The five-year-old_ _blinked her tired eyes and tried will her heart to stop beating so fast. It felt so scary. She looked to her left and right, an unexplainable panic beginning to set in at the prospect of being alone. However, she was enclosed on both sides by her older brothers who were still sleeping peacefully. Why were they in her bed? Haji and Hiro had their own rooms with their own beds so it didn't make sense for them to be in hers. She appreciated their presence though. Even though her heart was still beating really fast she no longer felt the need to scream._

 _Gingerly, Hikari sat up in the bed and noted how strange her limbs felt, almost as if they belonged to someone else. Why did everything hurt so bad? The Uchiha pressed a hand against her sore chest and tried to take a deep breath but even that_ _hurt to do. Where were her mommy and daddy? They would know what to do to make the pain go away._ _Hikari opened her mouth but was unsure of what to do next. She forced air into her throat but still came up empty. The more she tried to do whatever it was she was trying to do her head began to hurt and her eyes started to burn. Just as_ _Hikari bit down on her bottom lip in frustration, the door to her bedroom creaked open and a crop of messy blonde hair bounded in. Hikari's eyes widened at Ito's appearance, unsure of what he would be doing at their house so early in the morning. He took several brief strides across the room and climbed into her bed. Much to her surprise, he pulled her into a hug and she noticed how much he was shaking. Why was Ito shaking? Why did every hurt so much?_

" _Hikari." Ito choked out in a whisper so as not to wake her brothers. "I- I- I thought you were gone too."_

 _Hikari blinked, unsure of what to do in this situation. She'd never seen Ito cry before but he was shaking so much and her shoulder felt wet. She didn't know what to do and her arms felt too heavy to hug him back._

" _When you didn't come to the sleepover I thought something bad happened. Haji and Hiro were worried too."_

 _Haji and Hiro? Her brothers? Why would they be worried about her? He brothers never worried about anything except for what they were eating for dinner._

" _Then my mom said you were in the hospital and I got so scared. I thought you were gone…like…like my grandparents. I thought I wouldn't get to play with you anymore." Ito sniffed and held the Uchiha close. "Then my mom said we could visit you and that meant you were still alive. Do you still want to play my video game? My grandpa used to be really really good at games."_

 _At the mention of grandparents,_ _Hikari wasn't sure why but her eyes started to feel tingly. If she had been in the hospital…where was her Papa? Where was her grandmother? Suddenly her arms and legs felt like they were tingling and she couldn't hear Ito speaking anymore. Her brothers began to rouse on either side of her but she couldn't turn to look at them even when Ito let her go. She tried to even out her breathing but nothing seemed to work. She felt someone shake her shoulders but she couldn't even respond before everything went black…._

Now that she was older she knew that that morning she'd had a panic attack and fainted but at the time it had frightened her to her core. Experiencing what she had at just five years old had just been too much for her body and mind to take. She didn't remember everything that had happened, the doctors believed she suppressed the memories to protect herself but there were some things that she couldn't explain. Like a visceral cocktail of fear and sorrow when she saw pictures of her grandparents or the fact that she always felt nervous when she got into a car. Or how, even after all these years, she was still afraid of sleeping alone.

Despite all of her issues, the tightrope they continuously walked, Ito loved her anyway. He didn't mind that she couldn't speak to him normally and had taken up sign language classes with her brothers and cousin so that they could understand her without her having to write all the time. He didn't try to force her to speak. He didn't treat her like glass how her family did. To him she was the same Hikari he knew before the accident and he was just happy to have her by his side. To him, she knew that she was more than just a family friend. She was more than just his wife. To him, she was only Hikari.

She could be the wife of a rich man with a life that was simple and planned. Something safe and assured. Her hands could hold the world but to her it still wouldn't be enough. She only wanted Ito. Did her mother feel like this when she chose her father? As chaotic as their life was she would never let Ito go. As selfish as it was she would continue to breathe him in and desire him for as long as her heart continued to beat.

"Kari?" Ito said softly, pushing her away at arm's length with a concerned look on his face. "You're crying."

Hikari blinked and reached up absently to touch her face, surprised by how damp and cold it was. She smiled a bit at how silly she was being and stepped back into Ito's warm embrace. She clutched the material of his suit jacket tightly between her fingers, unwilling to ever let him go. She felt the vibration of his chuckle through his chest and relished the way he gently patted the top of her head.

"C'mon." Ito said. "Let's go home."

… **..**

 **Monday September 18 2047**

 **Hyuuga Compound- Branch Property 12**

… **..**

"Wow." Honoka said, her voice dropping an octave in disbelief. "Aunt Hana is a serious hoarder."

Chisato nodded her head in agreement. She was used to her mother's messy demeanor after picking up after her all the time. It wasn't that her mother intended to be messy but she always forgot to finish her breakfast because she never failed to be late for work, leaving half-eaten toast and cereal on the kitchen island. She immediately kicked off her shoes when she left the house and there were multiple rumpled lap coats strewn around the house, shoved into places they really shouldn't be. Sometimes Chisato had to wonder if the woman was _actually_ her biological mother since she was such a neat freak herself. In any case, Chisato was more than used to seeing things in a state of disorganized mess, Honoka was not.

Her older cousin stared in awe at the mountain of loose paperwork, old medical textbooks, and manilla folders interspersed among the chaos. Chisato had seen her uncle Neji's office. Everything was filed in an orderly manner. There were no stray papers allowed to roam loose or coffee rings on important documents. His desk was always clear unless her was currently working at it and was a stark contrast to her mother's workspace.

"Ya know." Honoka said as she approached the desk in the middle of the room. "I used to think my dad was a bit too anal about organization. He even sorts his paperclips according to size. Yet…seeing this…I think he has a point."

"Just help me look." Chisato replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Look where? I have no idea where to start."

Chisato sucked her teeth and looked around the room. There were piles of paper everywhere but the best place to start would be the desk itself. Or the bursting at the seams filing cabinet. Or the coffee table. Inwardly she groaned and pointed at the coffee table which seemed to be the easiest thing for her cousin to rifle through.

"I don't know, start there I guess."

"So bossy." Honoka teased as she walked over to the coffee table. "You leave for a year and come back with such an attitude problem."

"According to you, I've always had an attitude problem."

"Touche."

Chisato smirked at the banter between them and took a seat at her mother's desk. She'd missed Honoka greatly during her gap year. She was the only Hyuuga outside of her mother and small children that didn't seem to have a giant stick up their ass. Honoka didn't think it was weird that she joined the clan at ten years old. Her uncle Neji and aunt Tenten were always warm but they were also much too busy to deal with her most days. Honoka on the other hand, treated her like she'd known her all her life from the first day that they'd met, unlike the elders that looked down their nose at her. Other members stared at her like a sideshow and she knew that they gossiped about her when they didn't think she could overhear them. She didn't mind too much though. She had her mother and Honoka when she was at the compound and her Uchiha cousins whenever she wasn't. She didn't feel lacking in any way…at least not completely.

No matter how much her mother loved her or how much her extended family outside of the Hyuuga clan cared for her, it still felt like there was something missing. A certain something that she couldn't quite grasp a hold of. She'd thought that taking a gap year would help her find that missing piece but it didn't. She'd seen lots of cool things and met plenty of interesting people but nothing seemed to fill the troublesome void.

Chisato sighed as she riffled through the pile of papers on her mother's desk, mentally cursing the woman for her lack of organization. Maybe it was just in her mind but the messiness seemed to have gotten worse during the year that she'd been gone. Without her around to chase her mother down, the older woman had slipped into a bit of a rut. She still acted like the same happy go lucky mom she'd always known but there was a bit of loneliness in her eyes when she looked at her. Chisato knew that it wasn't going to get better though. She needed to leave again to attend university in a couple of weeks, leaving her mother alone again. She shuddered to think what kind of state their house would be in when she returned next summer.

There wasn't much that she could do about that though except pray that it didn't get too out of control. She'd have to get Honoka to talk to uncle Neji about sending a maid so that the place didn't turn into a complete dump. In the meantime, all she could hope for was that she'd find her birth certificate among all of the chaos. The registrar's office needed a copy on file before she started in the fall and she didn't want to bug her mother into finding it on top of all the work she already did at the hospital. She'd much rather blackmail Honoka into searching with her although neither one of them was having much luck.

With a frown, she pushed an errant lock of dark hair behind her ear and opened the bottom drawer of the desk. Surprisingly the compartment was empty save for a nondescript brown bow the size of a regular shoe box. Whereas most of the other drawers had bits of wrappers and crumpled up paper pack into the crevices, the box was the only thing inside of the drawer. Curiously, Chisato removed it and placed it on her lap. She faintly remembered her mother bringing a box like this with them when they moved to Konoha. She hadn't paid it much attention at the time but clearly, it had to be important if she'd kept up with it for this long.

She knew that she shouldn't snoop through her mother's more personal items but it wasn't like the woman had much to hide. All she did was work, sleep, spend time with her when she could, repeat. It was probably just a box of old receipts that she'd forgotten about anyway. However, when she opened the box there weren't any old receipts. Instead, there was a thick stack of letters bound together loosely with a well-worn string. There were no names or addresses on any of the yellowed envelopes which made the bundle even stranger.

Carefully, Chisato untied the string holding the envelopes together and picked up a letter at random. She turned the letter over in her hand and noted how worn it was as if it had been handled in this way one too many times. She pressed her lips together as she removed the contents of the envelope and immediately noted how neat and even the writing was. Something like this could have never been written by her mother's hand which was nearly unintelligible. Chisato's eyes moved to the first sentence and widened a bit.

 _To my firecracker…_

'Is this a love letter?' she thought.

Her mother had never had a boyfriend as long as she'd lived with her and these letters were much too worn to have been written recently. Curiosity peeked, she continued reading.

 _Did you know your stomach growls when you sleep? I'm watching you now and it's disappointing that you don't eat properly. Take care of yourself and stop disturbing my sleep…_

 _Chi_

'Chi?' Chisato thought, a bitter taste filling her mouth. 'I didn't write this.'

This other 'Chi' she'd never met before. Who was this person that they could write so cavalierly to her mother and shared her name? She gulped and opened another letter but this time from the back of the stack, her heart slowly throbbing inside of her chest.

 _To my firecracker…_

 _You've been wondering where I've been during the day. The unexplained gaps of time when I don't answer the phone or when I'm not home to greet you. For those indiscretions_ _, I apologize. However, it had to be done and I'm sure after reading this you'll understand why. It's all that I can give you. I know you can't hate me the way-_

"I don't understand." Chisato whispered.

"Did you say something?" Honoka asked, getting up from her fruitless search on the other side of the room. "Did you find your birth certificate?"

Chisato opened her mouth to speak but the door to her mother's office swung open. Hanabi Hyuuga looked at the two girls with an unsuspecting smile on her face, excited to see them after a long day of work.

"Hey, aunt Hana! You're home early today!" Honoka said cheerfully and Chisato slumped down in the office chair with the box in her lap.

"I only have two weeks before Chi leaves again so I thought I'd take some time off for a little while." Her mother replied, shrugging off her lab coat and making her way over to the desk. "What are you two doing in here? Mining for gold?"

"We were looking for Chi's birth certificate."

"Oh that?" her mother laughed, pushing some of her long brown hair behind her ear. "It's in the top desk drawer to the right-"

Chisato swallowed thickly as her mother made her way her way around the desk and reached for the drawer she'd been referring to. Unfortunately, she never opened it and even though she wasn't looking at her, she knew that her mother had a shocked look on her face.

"Honoka…" her mother said evenly. "Could you give us a minute please?"

"Is everything alright?" Honoka asked, perplexed by her sudden dismissal.

"Of course."

"Oh…um…okay."

Chisato didn't look up to watch Honoka depart or when the door shut behind her. With only her mother in the room, she began to feel an anger well up in the bottom of her stomach. She never kept secrets from her mother. Some of the branch members thought that she was a wild and unruly child but she wasn't. She never lied to her mother like the other clan members her age did to theirs. She always came home by sunset. If she wanted to stay out later all she had to do was ask but she never had a reason to. She told her mother when she had her first kiss, her first boyfriend, her first breakup. She told her _everything._ Her mother was her best friend and yet…there was a piece of her that she didn't know about. A piece of her that included this 'Chi' person and she had a sneaky suspicion who it was.

"I wasn't expecting you to find this." Her mother said and Chisato shrugged her shoulders, fingers gripping the edges of the box tightly.

"If I ask you questions will you lie to me?" Chisato asked. Her mother carelessly knocked a stack of papers onto the ground and sat in the empty space they left on the desk.

"I have never lied to you when you've asked a direct question."

"But you have left things out." Chisato grumbled, her brow furrowing as she tried to wrack her mind for all of the times her mother had obfuscated the truth.

Slowly Chisato put the box of letters on the desk and crossed her arms over her chest. Finally, she looked up at her mother who watched her with sad pale eyes. Eyes that belonged to every Hyuuga except her.

"I have never asked you before because I never cared enough but…who is my father?" she asked and her mother looked down at the box. "It's this Chi guy isn't it?"

Her mother didn't say anything, instead opting to take the box of letters and place in her own lap. Chisato's fingers clenched into a tight ball at her mother's continued silence.

"Look." She said flatly. "I don't care if you had flings when you were younger. I don't care that I grew up without a dad but why did you hide who he was from me?"

"I didn't try to hide who he was initially." Her mother said, her voice wavering slightly. "I've held my breath for the day you'd finally ask but you never did. However, I didn't want you to find out like this."

Chisato let out a slow breath through her nose. If she had never asked, would her mother have ever said anything? If she hadn't found the box would she still be ignorant of her father's existence? Where was he anyway? Why hadn't he tried to reach out to her in over eighteen years? Not a single call on her birthday. Not even a congratulations when she got her high school diploma… That all begged the question if he even realized her existence at all. If he did, why did he reach out to her? Why didn't he _want_ her?

"Does…does he even want to know about me?" Chisato asked and her mother opened her mouth to answer but she didn't allow her to. "Don't sugar coat things. If he doesn't want me, he doesn't want me. Is that why you never said anything? Why did you name me after a man that doesn't even care enough to see his own daughter? Why keep a box of his stupid letters?"

"Chi-" her mother said but Chisato ignored her.

She snatched the box out of her mother's lap and tipped it upside down. The unbound letters flutter down to the floor and behind them several photos that had been hiding in the bottom of the box. Finally, two silver wedding bands fell out on top of the mess, glinting innocently back up to the room's occupants. Chisato watched as her mother slipped off of the desk and kneeled down on the floor to clean up the mess she'd made and her heart tugged guiltily at the sight. She stubbornly ignored the feeling though and looked away. She didn't want to watch the mother she admired picking up old mementos worth less than the other trash on her desk.

"I don't get why these things are so special to you. I bet when he found out you were pregnant he left you didn't he? That's why grandfather disowned you right? Why we couldn't come here for so long? Is that why everyone looks at me weird and gossips about me?!"

"Chi-"

"Don't call me that! I don't want you to call me _his name_ anymore."

With that, she made to march around the mess on the floor and walk out of the room but her mother's despondent voice made her stop.

"I know you can never come to hate me the way I hate myself for leaving you alone."

Chisato's hand rested on the cold doorknob but somehow she just couldn't turn it.

"But even I can't stop Death and I've asked him for too many years already."

'Death?' Chisato thought, her breath catching in her throat.

"That's what he wrote in his very last letter to me. I've got every word, every line of every letter memorized by now."

This 'Chi'…the father she never knew…was dead?

"Chisato." Her mother called out softly but Chisato didn't turn around to acknowledge her. "He never knew about you. With his condition, we didn't think it was possible to even have children. If he had known though…I know he would have wanted you. Itachi would have loved you just as much as I do."

At the name 'Itachi' Chisato turned around to face her mother with wide eyes. She'd never met Itachi Uchiha but she knew his name well. Hajime and Hiroto had spoken of him highly before as their father's older brother but that he had died many years ago. Hikari didn't even know who he was. On more than one occasion she'd heard her uncle Sasuke mutter the name under his breath but she had never thought much of it before. Yet, this enigma of a man whose ghost seemed to linger in the minds of her family was supposed to be her father? How? How was that even possible?

Her mother stepped over the pile of unsorted files and old letters, crossing the room with only a picture in her hand. Chisato felt her heart beating louder and louder in her ears with each step closer. Finally, her mother held the photo out to her and Chisato nervously took it. There on a small four by four glossy square with the date scrawled on the bottom- June 9, 2021. In the photo was her mother looking not too much older than what she was now, sporting a thick, black cable knit sweater that clearly didn't belong to her and a pair of bright yellow leggings. On her face was the most genuine smile Chisato had ever seen her wear and an ugly, lopsided cake messily covered in chocolate frosting.

Standing next to her was a much taller man who looked oddly familiar even though this was the first time she'd ever seen his face. She studied the man carefully, taking in how confidently he stood next to her mother and how his hair was the same shade hers was. He was very handsome despite the bags of fatigue under his eyes which weren't even looking at the camera. Instead, they were focused on her overly excited mother, a small smirk of amusement on his lips.

"He could have left towers of gold but it would never be enough for me. I just wanted him and nothing else would ever be enough without him by my side but Itachi left me everything he had that wasn't solely attached to the Uchiha name. It was more than I deserved. I wanted to get rid of it but when I discovered that he'd also left you I was finally satisfied." her mother said, breaking the heavy silence that hung over them. "All of it. All of the property, the investments, and any other assets he had. I've been maintaining everything carefully over the years and have only taken out as much as was necessary to pay for your schooling. Everything is yours to do with as you please when you graduate from university. This way you can decide what you want to do in life instead of being obligated to work for the company."

"But…" Chisato chocked out, biting her bottom lip as she tried to sift through all of the information at once. "If my father is Itachi…I'm not a Hyuuga. I'm an Uchiha."

If she was the daughter of the deceased Itachi Uchiha…what did that mean? He was her uncle's _older_ brother. She didn't understand clan rules or lines of succession but this new revelation was sure to create problems. What did it mean to be Itachi's daughter? She didn't want to work for the Hyuuga clan but at the same time, she certainly didn't desire the responsibility that came along with being a potential Uchiha heiress. She wasn't quite sure what she wanted to do but those two options were definitely out.

"Chisato is Chisato." Her mother said simply, interrupting her jumbled thoughts. "Whatever you decide to do with your life is because you are Chisato and it's who you're meant to be. Not because you are a Hyuuga or an Uchiha. You will not be a pawn used for the benefit of others. That is the last thing Itachi or I would want for you."

Chisato looked at her mother sheepishly, unsure of how to take the declaration of her freedom to choose but her mother's complete faith in her eased some of the residual anger she still felt. She still felt hurt though and a sense of mourning that she couldn't understand. She didn't know the man but somehow that void she'd been feeling yearned to know who he was. The man that had a hand in creating her. Itachi Uchiha. Who was he? What did he do? How did he die? Would he…would he really want her if he was alive?

The nineteen-year-old looked down at the picture in her hands, hoping all the while that the man's eyes would turn to her, but she knew they wouldn't. His eyes would never be able to look at her. With a heavy heart, she handed the picture back to her mother and tried her best to smile despite the fact that her lips kept trembling.

"So." She said, struggling to keep a stiff upper lip. "Who was he? He has to be pretty great the way Haji and Hiro talk about him."

Her mother rolled her eyes at the statement, but her lips spread into a fond, wistful smile. A gentle hand caressed her cheek and Chisato leaned into her mother's warmth.

"Itachi was an idiot…but being with him was an adventure. I met him when I was seventeen…"

… **.**

 **Friday December 27 2057 4:00pm**

 **Atami Shrine**

… **..**

Hiroto took a deep breath, filling his lungs to their full capacity with the stingingly frigid winter air. He clapped twice and the sound reverberated around the empty shrine. He was the only one left in attendance. The only one left to stand over the last watch of the shrine. The sound of his hands meant more than the end of his duty but also a finality. The end of one chapter. The end of a life. The end of a love that had been unconditional and was complete only after they'd taken their last breath. His dark eyes scanned the many wreaths that had piled up around the shrine and wondered just who his mother had been before she had children. He knew that she was someone special but apparently so did some of the most important figures in the world.

A stooped entomologist had come by first claiming that he was a childhood friend and had laid a bushel of eucalyptus at the foot of the altar. Next had been the Inuzukas, a clan that he had a tenuous relationship with but they'd brought with them a bouquet of white roses. While their visit had been brief he knew that their commotion had reached his mother wherever she was now. Then came Gaara Sabaku, business magnate turned Kazekage in the company of his wife Matsuri and an entourage of no less than ten other people. That visit had been the most surprising of the day since Hiroto had no idea his mother even knew such a powerful man.

From then on were the Hyuugas and the Uchiha and with them came an outpouring of even more flowers and offerings for his mother and the elders that had passed before her. So many had lit incense that it was a bit difficult to breathe but Hiroto endured it. He stood diligently next to her enshrined ashes, back rigid and holding he and his siblings' favorite picture of her. A solo photo of her smiling demurely on her wedding day and clad in an extravagant crimson kimono with golden cranes and koi fish. His sister now had that very same kimono and had been happily married in it as well.

The Uchiha sighed as he took the mahogany framed photo off the stand and stared down at his mother. When this photo was taken did she know how precious she would become? Did she know how many people loved her? He liked to think that she did. If anything he knew that his father loved her more than anything. Hiroto smirked at the thought of his father and carefully carried the photo away from the altar and towards the entrance of the shrine. There had never been any doubt that his father loved his mother, he'd known that fact since he was five years old because he'd told him himself…

…" _Father, where do babies come from?" Hiroto asked and watched as the color drained out of both of his parents' faces._

 _Inwardly Hiroto groaned. Had uncle Naruto been lying when he said that his father was smarter than him? His parents were pretty much his last resort and if they didn't tell him the answer no one would. With a huff, his father gently moved his mother's legs off of his lap and leaned forward so that they were eye level._

" _Why do you want to know?" he asked and Hiroto shrugged._

" _Because."_

 _His mother muffled a snicker behind her hand and his father raised a curious eyebrow at her before returning_ _his attention._

" _Babies come when you want them and sometimes when you don't." he said simply._

 _Hiroto scrunched up his face. Babies sounded pretty rude in his opinion._

" _Uncle Naruto says that babies come from tummies."_

" _That's true. They live in there for nine months to grow or if they are eager, they show up earlier."_

 _Hiroto nodded his head pensively. That made sense. If he was a baby he'd be pretty eager to get out of a cramped tummy._

" _Do babies cost money?"_

" _Yes. Lots and lots of money."_

" _But uncle Chi and aunt Hana say that you need love to make a baby."_

 _At that, his father nodded and picked him up to put him on his lap._ _Hiroto wiggled until he was comfortably settled in his new position, leaning back to rest against his father's broad torso._

" _Your aunt and uncles are correct in a way. You do need money, a tummy, and lots of love I suppose."_

" _Do you love mother lots and lots?" Hiroto asked and he felt the deep, comforting vibration of his father chuckle against him._

" _Can you keep a secret Hiro?" his father asked and Hiroto scrambled around excitedly to face him._

" _Of course! I'm the best secret keeper ever!"_

 _Despite his genuine proclamation he knew that he would tell his brother the secret. He had to tell Hajime. They were twins and twins told each other everything. Everyone knew that! His father patted the top of his head and tilted his own in the direction of his smiling mother._

" _Your mother is having a baby."_

" _Really?!" Hiroto gasped in disbelief. His eyes dropped to his mother's stomach and he just couldn't understand how a baby was living in there. "There's a baby in there?!"_

 _His parents nodded their heads simultaneously and Hiroto's dark eyes widened in amazement._

" _So that means you love mother lots and lots?"_

 _Instead of answering, his father simply smirked and poked him in the middle of his forehead playfully…_

Absently Hiroto rubbed the spot on his forehead where his father used to frequently poke him and walked out of the Atami shrine courtyard. Now that he was much, much older he knew all of the mechanics involved with where babies came from but his father had essentially been correct in the elements needed for one to come about. He didn't have any of his own but Hajime and Honoka had enough nieces and nephews for him to spoil so he didn't feel lacking in that department.

He smiled solemnly at his mother's picture, knowing all the while that she'd thought differently. She would have loved for him to give her at least one grandchild while she was alive. Cradling the picture close to his chest, he approached the centuries-old tree near the beginning of the shrine steps and stopped in front on his father. His dark hair had gone entirely grey and his once intimidating posture was now slumped over. By his side was a cane that he increasingly relied on to get around every day, that and the arm of an attendant that could keep a close eye on him when family members weren't around. His father didn't look up when he approached, instead continued his flat stare at the yellowed grass beneath his feet.

"Father." Hiroto called out but the old man still didn't look up at him.

"Hn. When are we going back?" he asked grumpily. "My wife is waiting for me."

Hiroto ran a hand through his hair and gave his father a smile even though he knew the man couldn't see it. It was always the same thing now that his mother had passed. He constantly asked where she was and why she wasn't near. At times when the sun was just setting his father's mind seemed to slip even further and he'd ask about his uncle Naruto and why the idiot hadn't called him even though uncle Naruto had passed of a heart attack two years ago. When he slipped even further he asked about his parents and Itachi. Hajime and Ito tried their best, but the rehashing of sore spots wore them thin. They'd always been more sensitive in Hiroto's opinion. Besides Hajime had a multinational company to keep afloat and Ito had an entire country to run.

Hikari was a bit better but he could see the emotional toll that it took on his little sister to handle their father at a time like this when she was hurting deeply as well. Hiroto had become adept at dealing with the constant line of repetitive questions but it still hurt just the same. He'd continue to endure though. No matter how much further his father rapidly slipped away, he would be there as a hand to hold. In that strain of thought he held his hand out to his father and held tight to the wrinkled and leathered hand he was presented with. His father let out a low grunt as he rose to his feet with the assistance of his cane before his old eyes settled on him.

"I have a son that looks like you." He said and Hiroto smirked.

"Hn."

"Not just one but two."

"Really?"

"Hmmm, my wife had twins. We have another child on the way."

Hiroto patted his father's hand as best as he could with his mother's picture tucked safely under his arm. Slowly, almost arduously so, they descended the many ancient stone steps that led to the Atami shrine. His father winced slightly in pain each time his feet touched a step and reminded Hiroto just how hard a journey it was for his father to make such a trip.

"Do you hope you will have a girl or a boy?" he asked in an attempt to distract his father from his pain.

"Girl." His elderly father grunted. "Uchiha men are difficult to deal with."

Hiroto bit back a laugh at the truth of his father's words, inwardly happy that his father's wish had come true with the birth of Hikari.

"I guess that means you love your wife lots and lots since you have another child on the way."

His father let out a short, indignant breath through his nose and rolled his dark eyes.

"You are a nosy boy."

This time Hiroto couldn't help but laugh and the sound carried over the empty steps and up to the shrine where his mother's ashes still resided and the incense lit in her honor still burned. Maybe if he kept laughing that would stop him from crying. Maybe…his mother would hear him. When they descended the last step, Hiroto carefully led his father to the car and buckled him in safely before he did so for himself.

At home, Rei and Hajime made them dinner but his father refused to touch it. They didn't force him to. They tried to interest him in watching television but again he obstinately requested whereabouts of his missing wife. At a loss for what else to do, Hiroto put on a recording of Hikari playing the cello and his father seemed to instantly calm down. His eyelids drooped and he became pliant enough to be taken to bed. He and his brother dutifully changed him into his pajamas and laid him down on the bed he used to share with their mother. The old Uchiha patriarch stared up at the ceiling and hummed along with the sound of Hikari's cello.

When he finally fell asleep, Hiroto left the room and softly closed the door behind him. In the morning he would repeat the ceremony again for the seventh and last day of his mother's funeral rites. It would be the hardest day but fortunately, his siblings and cousins would be by his side when he spread her ashes. The Uchiha laid himself down to sleep on the couch in the living room, the clock ticking by overhead. His eyes felt heavy as he watched the hands move around the clock until they finally closed. He inhaled slowly and allowed sleep to overtake him.

Meanwhile, his father took his last breath, following his wife into the great unknown.

 _ **The End…**_


End file.
